My Love, My Fear, My Hope, My Dream, My Life
by Mockingjay272
Summary: Sequel to Things Can Be Good Again!  Katniss and Peeta have just been married, but with someone entering their lives who they never thought they would see again and a new political position, what will happen?  And could there be a baby on the way?
1. Prologue

**A/N: Here's the sequel to Things Can Be Good Again. Yeah! I know have an AWESOME Beta, HopeNeverDies, so check her out sometime :D Ok, I'll let you get to the prologue now. **

I sit on my bed, knowing what we're supposed to do. Everyone who was staying at my house has moved into a different house in Victor's Village for the night. Peeta was going to come into my, _our_ room any minute now.

"Good evening, Mrs. Mellark," a soft voice says from the doorway. I am married. I am married to Peeta Mellark. Nothing could ever make me doubt my feelings. Peeta is mine. I am his. Peeta and Katniss, Katniss and Peeta. Peeta and Katniss Mellark. The words sound so good in my mind I have the urge to say them out loud.

"Peeta and Katniss Mellark," I whisper as Peeta crawls into the bed next to me. I press my lips to his, and quickly slide my tongue in his mouth, finally doing what I wanted to do when we kissed at the wedding.

Peeta leans me against the headboard, and continues kissing me. My hands flit at his shirt, wanting to rip it off, but I know what would happen if I acted on my wants. And I'm still not sure I want a child.

"Katniss," Peeta says against my lips, sensing my hesitation. He releases himself from me, and sits us up against the headboard.

"Katniss, I know that you don't want kids. You know that I want them. We both want each other. And if we have sex, you know that you could get pregnant. You could have a baby," he tells me, his keeping most of the plead out of his voice.

Pregnant. A baby. My baby. Peeta's baby. Our baby. Luke. He could have a life. But how can I give him a life, knowing he'd get hurt?

"You know I want you, so, so badly, but a baby? How could we do that, knowing that it'll get hurt? Even if nothing like the Hunger Games never happens again, he could still break his head, or get heartbroken," I say. "And what if I lose him? What if I have a miscarriage? I couldn't live with myself knowing that I killed my own child…" and with that the tears I've been holding back come dribbling down my face. Peeta holds me in his chest.

"You won't lose it. I know you won't. You're so strong Katniss, and you could easily protect our baby. You saw how happy Annie was when she had Finn. I still remember the bad times too. Like when Finn started crying and Annie couldn't figure out what was wrong. But Tereska helped, do you remember that? People will help us too. And," Peeta says, his voice turning into a low growl. I recognize that voice. He is about to make a promise that he would sacrifice his own life to keep. "You won't have to go through this being a single mother. That baby will have its father for its whole life. I'm never going to go anywhere Katniss. Our baby, our Luke, will have both of us."

Closing my eyes, I take in the full force of his words. Yes, my baby will have help and support. Yes, I want a baby. Yes, my baby will have its mother and father to take care of it. No, hell no, do I ever want to let this baby into the world where it will get hurt.

Sensing my thoughts, Peeta leans his lips into my ear. "The baby will get hurt, Katniss. But you and I both know we can't stop that. But we can protect him in a way our parents couldn't. He will have enough to eat, he won't ever have to worry about his family dying in the mines, and he won't have to be killed in the hell that was the Hunger Games. He won't die, Katniss. Not until he's old and has had a wonderful life. But he needs the chance. He needs you."

My baby needs me. He needs me for a chance at life. After all the death I've seen, how could I deny anyone the chance of a lifetime? And how can I deny Peeta the chance to be a father?

So, before I can change my mind, I crush my lips down on Peeta's and with fumbling fingers, slide my hands to the bottom of his shirt. I rip it off, which forces our lips to part briefly, but I glue them together again the first second I can.

"Katniss, are you sure?" Peeta asks, his teeth grazing my ear. "I don't want you to feel forced into anything," he tells me, his voice brimming with honesty.

"I want you Peeta," I gasp, eager to go forward. "I want everything about you."

My hands trace the perfect planes of his chest, and before I know it, my world explodes in passion and beauty.

**A/N: Haha, the first chapter will be up soon! Thank you sooooooo much for all the support with the first story, and I hope you like this one just as much!**


	2. Messy

**A/N: OK, first chapter! Hope you like it, because I'm having WAAAAAAAAAAAY too much fun writing it! This chapter was written with a lot of laughs. Haha, I'll let you get to it now! New Beta, KelsNicole92! Don't know what happened to HopeNeverDies, PM me when you can!**

We've been married for two weeks is all that I can think as I turn to find Peeta's arms around me. I turn towards him to find his eyes trained on mine, and a small gap between our lips. I close that gap briefly, then get up, stretch, and put some old hunting clothes on. Peeta too, finds something to wear. Taking my hand in his, he leads me downstairs.

Waiting for us in the kitchen is Buttercup. He meows angrily at me and hisses at Peeta. I never thought I'd see the day where Buttercup would hate someone more than me. Especially not Peeta.

Rolling his eyes at the cat, Peeta goes right to work making cheesy buns, while I pull out some leftover cake for breakfast. Peeta looks at me right after I take a bite, with my cheeks about to burst and crumbs falling off my fork. He stares at me for a minute, blinks once, and then just turns his head with a small chuckle, saying, "I don't even want to know."

Swallowing my cake and grinning, I sneak up behind him and put my hands in the flour. Peeta turns around, and I smear flour all over his face.

"Okay, Mrs. Mellark, that does it," he says. Quicker than I believed possible, he has a jar of homemade frosting in his hand. I try to run, but he nails me in the back of my head with the frosting.

I open the fridge and grab the first thing I see. Grinning to myself, I notice I have an egg. I nail Peeta squarely in the chest, and I'm about to grab something else when he tackles me and runs his hands all over my body, getting melted cheese everywhere.

"Augh, Peeta, now I want to eat me!" I exclaim. Peeta narrows his eyes, and I start biting my wrist, tasting the delicious cheese on my tongue. Peeta grabs my arm and licks the cheese off.

"I was eating that," I say in a dangerous voice. Peeta doesn't get the warning and stays on top of me, not allowing me to move. I stare at him for a few minutes, then give him the "big grey eyes" that he is powerless against. Sighing in frustration, he tries to look away.

"Peeta," I plead softly. He looks at me, and I see him break.

"Dammit Katniss," he says, getting off of me.

Quick as lightning, I grab the rest of the cheese and plant my knees on Peeta's chest. Slowly, I pour the melted cheese on him. He takes it, but when I'm done he pulls me down for a kiss full of melted cheese leftover on both of our lips. We get up laughing.

"Since we kind of destroyed the cheese buns, how about we go to the bakery to get some?" Peeta suggests.

We walk out of our house and head on over to the bakery. We get quite a few stares on the way, which I don't quite understand. All of the eight hundred or so who came back to District 12 know that we are together. Soon, the whole nation will know, because Plutarch Heavensbee will probably announce it. But we still keep getting odd looks from people.

We don't understand until we run into Johanna, who is leaving tomorrow with Annie to District 4. She looks at us for a minute, then bursts out laughing.

"Why are you two covered in cheese?" she asks between laughs. A blush slowly rises in my cheeks. Peeta and I totally forgot to clean the cheese, eggs, frosting, and flour off before we left. No wonder people were looking at us weirdly.

Peeta tells her the story. Johanna grumbles to herself.

"You two used to be fun. Now that you're married you're so boring. And once you have kids, you'll be even worse. Why didn't I talk you out of this?" And with that she walks away. I shake my head in disbelief.

Peeta and I reach the bakery a few minutes before it opens. We wash most of the stuff off in the overlarge sink, the only residue being left in our hair. Peeta produces some more cheesy buns, along with blueberry muffins and hot chocolate. I savor the deliciousness of it all.

We hear the door open, and Peeta goes to help the customer. I stay in the backroom, drinking the rest of my hot chocolate. Peeta comes in a few minutes later, and gestures for me to come outside. I stand up, confused. Why would anyone who comes to the bakery want to see me?

I step into the bakery, and I see why Peeta called me out. Johanna and Annie have come to say their good-byes. Their train's leaving earlier than they thought. Annie smiles through her tears as she hugs us.

"We'll miss you," she says, holding Finn up. "We'll visit soon, or you'll come visit us."

"Of course," I say. "We'll see each other again before you know it."

Annie gives us one last watery smile, then Johanna comes up.

"You better not call me in the middle of the night saying you two are having problems," she growls, but in a friendly way. "You are going to be good to each other or I'm going to kill both of you." I smirk. Same old Johanna.

"What happened to us being the boring married couple?" I ask her. She gives me one last death glare before she leaves. And then they're gone.

"It's not like we'll never see them again," Peeta says behind me, putting his arms around my waist. I turn my face towards him and kiss him lightly.

"I know. I'm just so tired and I have no idea why," I say, yawning. Peeta kisses me quickly.

"Go to sleep," he says, and walks me to the house, closing the bakery for a few minutes. He lies me down in our bed, and pulls the blankets up.

"Sleep," he whispers in my ear. "I'll be at the bakery if you need anything." He kisses my ear quickly, then I drift off, a smile on my lips**.**

**A/N: Haha, I'm finally a registered Beta now, so I'll Beta you if you want me to, I'd love to do it! Chapter 2's on the way, where it starts to get very interesting (prolonged evil laugh). Reviews are always appreciated.**

**~MJ272**


	3. News

**A/N: Hehehe, this is where it gets fun! R&R please and thank you!**

**I just realized that I have not added a disclaimer.**

**So, the Hunger Games? I don't own them. Feel free to mock me for extreme lack of a creative disclaimer. **

One week later:

I get up in the morning. Today is the first day of my period, and after I untangle myself from Peeta's arms, I fully expect to find the familiar pink splotches. I get to the bathroom, and the splotches are not there. My period has never been late. Ever.

Wrinkling my eyebrows in frustration, I go into the kitchen to find something to eat. I've been hungrier than ever lately, and I seem to spend most of my time either eating or sleeping. Peeta says that these changes are just because so much stress has been lifted from my shoulders, but I'm not sure.

Opening the cupboards, I grab the first edible thing I see and stuff it into my mouth. I'm aware that this is some form of Peeta's cooking, but not much else. Whatever it is, it tastes good on my tongue, but it nowhere near satisfies my cravings.

I stop at the word. Cravings. That's the very word my mother used to describe her wants for food when she was pregnant with Prim…

Sleeping more than usual. Hungry all the time. Lack of a period. What did he _do _to me?

My body reacts before my mind does. I'm halfway to Tereska's before I realize that I'm running at top speed. I burst through the door, not caring about politeness at this point. I find her sitting on her bed, reading a book. She looks up with a surprised expression when I walk in.

"Give me your most accurate pregnancy test. Now!" I say forcefully. Tereska's eyes widen, and she quickly reaches for her medical bag, and brings out a strip of cloth-like material, white in color.

"Pee on this," she says. "If the color stays the same, then you're safe. If the color turns pink, well, then we have a new Mellark on the way."

I grab the strip and run into the nearest bathroom. Forcing myself to pee on the strip, I look at it. For a minute, there is no change in it. Just as I'm breathing a sigh of relief, the color changes to an unmistakable pink.

I can't comprehend. I stay in the bathroom, in a complete state of shock, sitting there for what could very well be hours.

Tereska ends up knocking on the door. "Well?" she asks excitedly, opening the door. Wordlessly, I hold out the strip.

Tereska squeals in delight, and hugs me as best as she can when I'm sitting on the floor. Mutely, I walk into her living room and sit on the couch, still in shock. The next thing I know Tereska is talking to someone in the next room.

"…you need to get over here. Now," she's saying. "Because Katniss is here, and she has something to tell you."

In a matter of minutes, Peeta is rushing through the door. He sees me on the couch, still in a state of shock.

"What happened? What's wrong?" he asks. I stare up at him, then at Tereska. I don't trust that my voice will work.

Tereska shakes her head, smiling. "Oh, no," she says. "I'm not saying anything. This is all on you."

I glare at her, then fling myself into Peeta's arms. Burying my face into his shirt, I whisper, almost inaudibly, "I'm pregnant."

He stares at me, with the same look of shock that I wore when I found out. Then he bursts out laughing. It's this noise that jars me back to reality.

"What?" I ask. He doesn't make any indication that he heard me. Sounds of pure joy issue from him. Pure joy.

"Katniss," he says as soon as he can talk. "We're going to have a baby! A little Finn of our own! Just think, Luke could be growing inside of you right now!"

Luke. Peeta's ultimate weapon against me and my children issues. My internal struggle, to have a baby or not to have a baby? Luke was how he convinced me to go for it. And now Luke is what he is using to assure me that everything will be alright.

Peeta. Luke. How could my life not be perfect with the two of them? Again, Peeta has got me thinking about how very unfair it would be if he never got to know his son, with no intention of doing so.

I already love Luke. So what's the point of being scared to conceive him? I have nine months before I have to worry about him being out in this world. I'll take good care of my Luke. I'll make sure nothing happens to him in these next nine months while he's growing inside of me. And Peeta and Tereska will help me. These next nine months, I can live through. Or so I tell myself.

Taking a deep breath, I position my head so that my face isn't buried in Peeta's shirt, but instead looking up at his face. I stand on my tip toes and kiss him, kiss him with a burning passion.

"You'll take care of us?" I ask when I pull away.

"Of course," he says, his lips finding their way to my neck.

"And you have to make me whatever I want. You did this to me, you get to do some of the work too," I add.

"What, did you really think I was going to make the two of you eat, stale bread and old cookies every day?" Peeta asks, pretending to be insulted.

"Just making sure you know what you're in for," I say innocently. Peeta smirks at me, and continues kissing my neck. I love the feeling, but all of this talk about food has made me realize how hungry I am. Cheesy buns sound really good right now. Hm, now that I think about it, cheese in general sounds delicious. I think we have a block of unused cheese somewhere in our fridge… I'll have to find it when we get home.

"Speaking of food," I say, turning my eyes playfully towards Peeta's. "Cheesy buns sound great right now." Peeta finally releases me.

"Well, of course Mrs. Mellark," he says with a thick layer of formality in his voice. I love my new name. I think of my baby's name, Luke Mellark. That name is so beautiful.

Tereska smiles at me. "Don't be afraid to yell at him whenever there's something that you want. Just give in to what your body wants, and I'd kind of like to see Peeta get yelled at. I wonder how he'd take it," she muses.

I roll my eyes at her. "Don't worry. Peeta get's to deal with me being all hormonal and crazy and such. He'll have to learn to get used to it," I tell her, and then quickly follow Peeta out the door.

When we get home, Peeta starts right away on the cheesy buns. While he's preoccupied, I go to the fridge, and sure enough, a block of cheese is waiting for me on the shelf. I eagerly grab it and take a huge bite out of it, loving the taste. Within fifteen minutes, the whole thing is gone. I sit back and watch Peeta, who is so absorbed in his work he hasn't noticed a thing. Or maybe he has and just hasn't said anything about it. Oh well, as long as he didn't try to stop me, I'm fine.

While I'm staring at Peeta, my thoughts drift to Luke again. He's going to be so beautiful, and he's going to have a wonderful father and aunts, and even a great Uncle Haymitch. Of course, I'll have to get around to telling everyone about this, including my old mentor. I shudder at the thought. That's one conversation that would be better to put off as long as possible.

I feel so connected to my baby Luke right now. It's as if for the first time, I acknowledge that he's going to be here with us and I accept it. More than accept the fact, I welcome it.

In my lower abdomen, I feel something. Not like a kick, or any sign that the babies moving. But I can feel that he's there. I can feel my beautiful baby. I can feel my Luke.

**A/N: So, there's a poll up on my profile. How many kids should Katniss end up having, and what should their names be? Please vote! Vote, and I send you virtual chocolate milk. And who doesn't like virtual chocolate milk? **

**~MJ272**


	4. The First Trimester

**A/N: Haha, I want to express my gratitude to KelsNicole92 for coming up with one of the ideas in this chapter! She's an amazing writer, go check her out! WARNING: Brief and MILD pregnancy talk in this chapter. If you have an INSANELY weak stomach, there's a little part at the end. Shouldn't be too bad though. **

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><p><span>Month Two<span>

Sometimes, I want to kill Peeta for doing this to me. I have to carry this thing, I have to be the one protecting it, for a whole nine months. Nine months in which something could go disastrously wrong. Nine months to lose the thing.

Yet at other times I find I'm almost thankful that this happened. Luke's conception was the most beautiful thing I have ever done, so Luke must be beautiful himself. He has to be, considering who his father is.

I almost don't want Luke to have any trace of me at all. Nothing to mar the beautiful features he will inherit from his father. But then again, I want his face to show some sign that I had a part in creating him too.

One morning, in the beginning of my second month, I wake up feeling horrible. I run to the bathroom, barely managing to hold it all in. The second I am at the door, my head flies over the toilet, puking up everything I've eaten, probably from the past few days. I'm unaware that Peeta is holding my hair back and stroking my neck until I'm done. For some reason, I find that this irritates me.

"What? Do you realize that this could mean something's wrong with the baby? I told you not to do this to me, but no! You had to get me freaking knocked up, and now something's wrong! I knew I'd screw this up!" And with that, I find myself crying against his chest.

"Shh, everything's fine. Nothing's wrong with the baby. This is just the morning sickness that Tereska was talking about. It's perfectly normal," he whispers in my ear.

"A-are you s-s-sure," I stutter. I sound so pathetic right now. Stupid mood swings. I've been getting them more and more.

"I promise, love," Peeta says, and starts rubbing my hair with one of his hands. I stop crying, happy to lay there in his arms forever, but another need of mine come to light.

"Peeta, this probably won't surprise you at all, but I'm hungry again," I say, looking up into his face. To my surprise, he laughs.

"When aren't you hungry," he smirks, grabbing my hand and leading me to the kitchen.

"Let me guess, something with cheese and some milk?" he asks sarcastically. Of course I want something with cheese, and of course I want milk to wash it down with.

"You're little cheese sticks," I tell him. "The melted stuff with the breading all around them." He'll know what I mean.

As Peeta starts to bake, I become hungrier with each passing minute. Finally, I can't stand it any longer. I go to the fridge, and try to find something to munch on.

"Someone's a little impatient today," says Peeta, and I hear the teasing grin in his voice. I grab an egg and throw it in his general direction.

"AUGH!" I whip my head around, not even imagining that Peeta could ever make such a noise. Instead, I find Haymitch in the doorway, egg yolk splattered all over his face.

He looks at Peeta and me, daring us to keep straight faces. Naturally, we start laughing as hard as we can. Haymitch tries to maintain a disdainful expression, but it's so much like the one Peeta used when me and Finnick woke him up in the Quarter Quell, it sends me into a whole new wave of laughter.

This laughter doesn't last long, however. It brings back too many memories. I still have my nightmares. Too often do I wake up screaming, images of the dead still lingering in my head, my only solace being in Peeta's arms.

I start to tear up a little, and immediately find my way into my comfort arms. Haymitch wipes the egg off his face and looks at me suspiciously.

"You were going to eat another feast by yourself, weren't you?" he asks. I hide my face. Haymitch still doesn't know about my…condition yet. No one knows except for Peeta, Tereska, and myself.

"Katniss… I think you're starting to get a little round. Right in the stomach," says Haymitch. Instantly, my eyes and one of my hands go down to my stomach, checking it. It's still perfectly flat. Haymitch has a smug look on his face, and I know there's no use in hiding him from it any longer.

"I must say, it didn't take him very long to knock you up, sweetheart," he says, taking a bottle of alcohol from his jacket. "Weren't you the one who swore you would never have babies, and what, two months into your relationship and you're already having a kid?" He winks at Peeta.

"Haymitch, I'm two months in," I say. I have no idea why, but the effect on Haymitch is nothing what I thought it would be. He simply nods, as though he already knew. I bet he did this whole time. We can't really hide anything from Haymitch anymore.

"Katniss?" "KATNISS!" The sound of my name jars me back to reality, one voice soft and gentle, the other rough and course.

"What?" I ask, blinking hard. I seemed to have dozed off a little.

"I was asking if you were planning on telling everyone else," Haymitch growls. I shake my head.

"I don't want anyone knowing for at least another month," I say. I didn't even want Haymitch knowing.

Before long, my cheese sticks are ready. I eat fifteen of them, and have two cups of milk after wards. The milk makes me especially sleepy, so I quickly fall asleep, with Peeta's arms around me.

Month Three

Today, I notice something. Something that has been coming on for a few days now, but has just started to take on a fully defined shape. I pull my shirt up over my head and turn sideways, hoping to get a better look.

I am three and a half months into my pregnancy. Now there is no mistaking the tiny bump that has planted itself on my stomach. Peeta walks into the bathroom with blurry eyes a few minutes later. I'm still examining myself in the mirror.

"Peeta," I call. "Look at my stomach," I tell him. Peeta quickly glances down, then slowly and tenderly places a hand on my abdomen. Right over the spot where our baby is. Together, we slowly bask in the happy moment together. And with the addition of my bump, we feel, for the first time, like a family.

I find it slightly ironic that the day my bump begins to show is the day Tereska calls me to perform her first check-up. When I told her about my little bump, she said that this is usually when women start to show. It means that Luke is healthy.

Peeta and I go to Tereska's house together, and I feel much calmer today than I usually am. She has me lie down on her bed, lift up my shirt over my small bump, and then puts a cold gel on my stomach. She runs over the gel with a small hand held device.

_Gusha, gusha, gusha._

After a few moments, I notice something up on the computer that sits behind Tereska. A small being that looks like it could have a head. Could those little tiny sticks be its arms and legs? A soft body in the middle?

"That's…that's our baby Katniss!" Peeta exclaims, taking my hand and squeezing it gently. Not only our baby. That's our Luke.

"Everything looks perfectly healthy to me," Tereska says a couple minutes later. "Tell me if you have any sort of vaginal bleeding, or excessive amounts of discharge. Other than that, I'll see you in about a month…well, you'll have your next appointment in about a month," she says smiling.

As Peeta and I walk back to our house, I'm in a daze. It's not until we're at our doorstep that Peeta's voice brings me back.

"Katniss, I know you have your heart set on Luke, but what if it's a girl? What would we name her?" asks Peeta.

I haven't given this any thought, actually I don't think there's a possibility of me having a girl, because I feel so certain that I am having my Luke.

"I, I honestly don't know," I tell Peeta. "I never imagined that this could be a girl," I say gesturing vaguely to my stomach.

"Well, in case it is, could I make a suggestion?" asks Peeta. I nod my head. "How about Electra? It means the shining one," he says.

I let it sink in. Electra. I like the name. I like it a lot. I don't feel like we would have the need to use it now, but I love it.

"Or, if you want, we could name it after somebody we lost," Peeta says. I shake my head. The idea is too horrifying.

"I don't need to look into my child's eyes and see someone else in there," I say, shuddering. "If it's a girl, we'll name her Electra."

Peeta nods his head, and then pulls me into the house, reflecting in the happy memories of seeing Luke for the first time. I have no doubt in my mind that it was Luke.

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><p><strong>AN: If you haven't voted for my poll, please do so! Thank you to those that have. And one thing I have to say, my poll doesn't work in the way most polls do. Only my mind understands how it works and how it gets incorporated into my story. (prolonged evil laugh spirals into a coughing fit)**

**~MJ272**


	5. I Feel Him

**A/N: I've realized that lately, I have been writing nothing but a big ball of fluff on a stick. So this is the last chapter of fluff! Well, the beginning of the next chapter might have some fluff, but I'm adding a twist. (Katniss is screaming at me. Excuse me for a moment. KATNISS, I'M THE WRITER, SO YOU CAN SUCK UP AND DEAL WITH WHATEVER I THROW AT YOU, AND YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE WITH IT! That's better) Haha, please review! They make my day. THANK YOU to those who voted on my poll! I have what I needed! **

**~MJ272**

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><p><span>Month 4<span>

"Okay, Katniss, so who do you want to start with?" Peeta asks, all ready to start drawing.

We're starting the book today. I wanted to start it sooner, but with the baby it's been hard to find time. Finally, halfway into my pregnancy, we're able to start. I sit back in my chair, wanting to cross my legs, but my ever growing stomach makes this impossible, even though I'm not too round yet. If I wear baggy clothes, I can still hide my bump. But it's clearly there, getting bigger by the day.

"Prim," I say, answering Peeta's question. I take a pen, and in clear letters I write "Primrose Everdeen" at the top of the page.

Peeta begins his drawing. The rough lines quickly turn into an exact copy of my little sister's face. Her expression is bright, not worn down, not the one that was forced to grow up too quickly. The girl Peeta draws could be the one who slept with me when she had nightmares, the one who always begged to see the cakes in the bakery window, because they were the prettiest thing in the District. Peeta draws the Prim that should have been.

He's so bent on his work right now that he doesn't notice when I start to doze off. I fight it as hard as I can, but this stupid baby doesn't seem to want to let me stay awake. Finally, sleep overwhelms me.

"Katniss? Katniss, are you awake yet?" I register Peeta's voice. He's been trying to get me up for several minutes now, but all I want to do is sleep. "Katniss?" Unwillingly, I open my eyes, and find his face just inches away from my own.

"Go away. I'm busy sleeping uncomfortably in this chair," I mumble. Peeta kisses me lightly on the tip of my nose.

"That's why we have to get you to a bed," he says. Gently, he begins to pick me up.

"Wait," I say. "I want to see the picture first." Peeta gently sets me back down in my chair, and puts one hand on my stomach. He's been doing this ever since my bump first made its appearance.

In the book, I see my sister. Peeta has captured every detail, from the way the sun caught her hair, to the way her eyes would sparkle when she was talking about something she enjoyed. I pick up my pen and write five simple sentences.

"This is Primrose Everdeen. She is the sister of Katniss Everdeen Mellark, daughter of Althea (mother) and Galan (father) Everdeen. She died when she was 13 years old. She died in the war between the Capitol and the rebels. She was too young to die."

Writing this, I realize how much I really miss Prim. I miss her comforting me, I miss her innocence, and I miss her always supporting me. For loving me unconditionally no matter what I do. The only other person who has loved me that much is Peeta.

Suddenly, I feel like some tiny little foot has kicked me. Kicked my stomach from the inside. It happens again. Peeta, with his hand against my stomach, feels it too.

"Oh, Katniss, did you feel it? That was the baby! That was Luke," he whispers excitedly.

Luke. For the first time, I really feel him. I am consumed with a terror that feels as old as time itself. I begin to take big, gasping breaths, scared of something I can't rationalize yet.

Peeta's mouth finds my ear, and he begins to whisper urgent words. "Make a list Katniss. It's alright, everything's alright. This just means that Luke is healthy, and that he's growing. It's all that it means."

I take a deep breath and start my list. "Haymitch not telling anyone yet. Leevy bringing me that dandelion yesterday. Beatrice cooking for Aradia. You helping me with the book. Tereska making sure I'm healthy," I say, and I calm down a bit. Luke kicks one more time, then he goes still. I'm grateful. As much as I love Luke, the experience was frightening. Him moving inside of me… I can't find words to describe it.

"I'm better now," I whisper. Peeta begins kissing my neck. Quickly, he picks me up and carries me to our room and lies me down on the bed.

"I can't sleep now! Not now that I know that, that, that thing is moving _inside _of me!" I screech, hurting my own ears. Peeta lays down next to my shaking body, and instead of making a list like he normally does, he begins to sing softly.

"_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_

_And when again it's morning, the sun will rise_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daises guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you_

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_

_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_

_Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay_

_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daises guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you"_

His singing stops, and it bothers me.

"Sorry," Peeta says in a quiet voice. "I can't sing to save my life. Especially not compared to you."

I turn to face him, no longer shaking, but still content with lying in his arms. "Don't stop," I whisper. Peeta smiles against my hair.

"You like the sound of me singing like a dying goat?" he asks jokingly.

"Of course I do. It's your voice isn't it?" I say, turning my face towards his and kissing him lightly. Peeta smiles and begins another song.

"_Are you, are you _

_Coming to the tree_

_Where they strung up a man they say murdered three_

_Strange things did happen here_

_No stranger would it be_

_If we met up at midnight in the Hanging Tree"_

I suppose he sings the rest of the song, but I wouldn't know, because I fall asleep to the sound of Peeta's voice and one last kick from the baby.

Month 5

I take a deep breath as I pick up the phone. Peeta takes my hand as I dial the number.

"Hello?" Johanna's voice answers.

"Johanna, I'm pregnant," I blurt out. Subtlety be damned. She doesn't respond for a minute.

"What?" she asks finally.

"I'm. Pregnant," I say again, drawing out the word.

"How far along?" asks Johanna, at a loss for words.

"Five months now," I answer shrugging. I'm in a strange mood this morning.

"Dear Lord," I hear Johanna whisper from the other end.

"Well, can you pass that on to Annie? I have to tell my mother now…" I say, hanging up before I get a response. I quickly dial my mother's number, and I get the usual reply.

"Dr. Everdeen's office."

"Mother," I start, for some reason feeling less silly than when I was talking to Johanna. "I'm pregnant."

Like Johanna, my mother stays silent for a few minutes. It takes longer for Mother to recover.

"My… my little Katniss is pregnant? Already? Katniss…" she gasps, seeming to have trouble speaking.

"Yes, I'm pregnant. I didn't think it would happen, but it did, and I'm five months along now. He should be here in February," I say. It's October now.

"I'll be there and I won't believe it until I see it," she says incredulously. There is a small beeping in the phone. "Katniss, I'm getting another call. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"That's fine," I say. "I have to get a checkup today anyway." And then she hangs up the phone.

"Was that as bad as you thought it was going to be?" Peeta asks as we're heading out the door. I shake my head.

"It was worse," I say laughing.

We reach Tereska's house quickly. I awkwardly sit down on one of the chairs. I can't hide my stomach at all anymore. It's gotten so big.

"Hey there!" Tereska greets us. "I've got everything all set up in the next room. Let's go!"

"Ah, Tereska, you're killing me. I just sat down," I complain. Wordlessly, Peeta scoops me up and walks towards the room Tereska indicated.

Halfway there, Luke shifts in my stomach. Time has not numbed my fear. I take a shaky breath, and Peeta strokes my back with his thumb until he lays me down on Tereska's bed. He keeps a firm grip on one of my hands.

Again, I lift my shirt over my stomach. I had been forced to buy awful clothes that are much to big for me because of my belly. I hate them.

I watch the monitor Tereska has set up as she runs the device over my stomach again. This time, Luke's features are much more pronounced. His head has taken on a definite shape, and although his arms are still small, they too have shape.

"Considering everything you've been through, you're having an _extremely _healthy pregnancy," says Tereska. "This would be considered healthy even if a normal woman was carrying it. Consider yourselves lucky."

And I do. At the moment, I feel as though the baby is a blessing. I hate it when Tereska takes the device off my stomach, and the monitor goes blank.

"Looking good," she says. Peeta and I say good bye and leave. We walk to the bakery, where Peeta finds more cheesy buns for me and Luke to eat. Where we sit as a family.

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><p><strong>AN: Ugh, finally the fluff is over. Like Katniss, you might get mad at me for my twist, but remember, if this was all fluff, it would be boring! **

**The first person who can tell me why I chose the names Althea and Galan gets a sneak peek of the next chapter. (Hint: It has something to do with their meanings)**

**Until next week people!**

**~MJ272**


	6. A Visitor

**A/N: OK, so I changed my ideas a little. You aren't going to completely hate my in this chapter (hopefully). But the twist is still there! Some brief random fluff, then BAM! It'll hit ya! Please review! I've been having a horrible week, reviews make me feel better!**

**Kudos to Mockingjay1804, writergal24, and Gabby for getting Althea and Galan's meanins right. Althea means healer and Galan means sings!**

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><p><span>Month 9<span>

When I wake up, I can tell that I've slept in late. The sun is shining brightly through the windows, and Peeta isn't on the other side of the bed. I roll over, wincing as the effort hurts my stomach. Tereska tells me that I'm due any day now.

I barely manage to get myself out of bed. I walk, well, _waddle_ to the kitchen to see if I can find any food. I open the cupboards and to my dismay, I find there are no cheesy buns. Although, I seem to remember Peeta saying something about how I ate us out of them last night, and how he'd have to make more.

But there are some at the bakery. There are always some at the bakery. The only thing is, they're meant to be sold… Damn that. I'm a hungry, pregnant woman, and I want some cheesy buns. Besides, I am the wife of the owner of that place…

I smile to myself. The wife of Peeta. Nine months has not eased the fluttering in my stomach when I hear my new titles. Wife, Mrs. Mellark. Those words still fill me with a rush of pleasure.

As quickly as I can, I move to the bakery. I see that the back window is open. Perfect.

I lift for the window, and I realize that my brilliant plan might not be so brilliant. A woman who is about to have a baby any day, trying to sneak into a place through a window? Not something you see every day.

I'm about to give up when I hear Johanna laugh behind me. She, Annie, and Mother all came from District 4 a month ago. Mother couldn't stop looking at my stomach, and I don't think she really thought I was going to have a baby until she saw my huge stomach and felt Luke kick.

Annie seemed in a daze of happiness for me. Finn is ten months old now, and he's just learning to walk. He'll take a few steps, then grab something to steady himself, take a few more steps, and repeat the process. Johanna told me that it used to scare Annie to death when he'd fall. Luckily, Finn's doing a pretty good job of not falling right now.

I realize I must have been standing here for ten minutes, lost in thought. I turn back to Johanna.

"Sorry," I say quietly. She just shakes her head in disgust.

"This is why you should have freaking listened to me. You shouldn't have let him get you knocked up, then you could still do things like climb through windows and hunt and such," she laughs.

"Will you just help me?" I grumble. She's infuriating me. Stupid hormones are kicking in…

"Um, no. I think I'll stand here and watch you struggle," she says, smirking as my face gets a dirty look on it.

"Fine," I tell her. "Then I'll make sure Peeta never cooks dinner for you again." That hit a nerve. Even Johanna has a weakness for Peeta's cooking. Her eyes grow wide when she discovers that I'm not joking.

"You wouldn't dare. I don't care if you are knocked up, I'll rip your throat out," she says, then we both start laughing.

She walks over and uses her hands to make a foothold. I gingerly place my right foot in her hands, then she pushes up.

"Dear Lord, Katniss, when the hell did you get so damn fat?" she asks from below. I tumble through the window, and find some fresh baked cheesy buns sitting on one of the many tables in the back room.

I eagerly start eating them. I've gotten through two and am just starting a third when Peeta walks in, with Finn riding on his shoulders. He looks at me, with the bun just hovering in front of my mouth.

"You know, you're going to eat me out of business," Peeta says matter-of-factly.

"Well, then someone shouldn't have gotten me pregnant," I say teasingly, as Peeta sets Finn down on a chair and takes my face in his hands.

"I don't mind in the slightest," he whispers before kissing me.

We're interrupted by Johanna coming through the door.

"Did you survi-oh," she says as we break apart. "Now I see why you wanted to get in here so bad. You just wanted to have an excuse to make out with him."

"Go away, Johanna," says Peeta, his lips returning to mine. She gives us her signature smirk before she walks out.

Another thing time has had no effect on is how I feel when Peeta kisses me. A sort of burning through my body. When he kisses me, I feel like the girl on fire.

We're broken apart by Finn, who's making random noises and trying to climb out of the chair. He can't say any words yet, but he certainly makes a lot of noises. Peeta laughs and lifts him out of the chair, and opens the door so Finn can waddle out on his chubby baby legs.

Watching him with Finn, I know Peeta will make a wonderful father. He cares for all children, and I can't even begin to imagine the love he feels for Luke. All I know is that Peeta is no longer the single most important thing to me. He now shares the spot with our son.

Peeta picks me up and carries me to the front of the bakery, where we find Johanna, Annie, and Finn, who is sitting on Annie's lap. Peeta sets me down on the counter as Luke kicks. The sensation is still overwhelming, so I rub my stomach and start humming the lullaby.

As I hum, I watch Annie with Finn. She is imitating the noises he makes, and he clearly loves it. After a few minutes of this, Finn says something new.

"Ma," and then after a pause, "ma," he says again, looking at Annie and reaching out his arms towards her.

We all turn our heads, and Annie's eyes light up. She picks up Finn, and he continues to say "ma". Annie can't take her eyes off him.

"Oh, Finn, your first words!" she exclaims. Suddenly, she looks to my stomach and asks me a question. "When are you going to have the baby, Katniss?"

I roll my eyes. "Never. Soon. Right now, I don't know! I don't want this thing to come out where I can't protect it anymore, but on the other hand, being pregnant really hurts. I'll be happy when my body is back to normal," I say. Annie considers it all for a moment.

"I think you would be able to protect your baby always," she says with certainty, then goes back to watching Finn play with her hair.

Annie touches me in a way no one but Annie can. Peeta whispers in my ear, "You know, she's right. You're going to make a pretty wonderful mother."

I turn my head to face him. "You'll be a better father," I say. Peeta smiles.

"Well, technically, I will, since you physically can't be a father. Let me rephrase that. You'll make the better parent," says Peeta.

"Not even. You'll be the better parent and we all know it," I retort. I can tell he's about to say something when a tall, dark customer walks in.

It's Gale.

I don't know what I feel for Gale. Certainly nothing romantic, but do I even care for him as my best friend anymore? He never even said he was sorry that he might have killed Prim… He's not my best friend anymore. He's not even a friend.

His eyes find me on the counter. "Catnip? Is that really my Katniss Everdeen right there?" he asks as though nothing had ever come between us. I only find a few words to spit back at him.

"It's Mellark. Katniss Mellark," I say, spitting venom in my voice. All the happiness in Gale's eyes vanish, and they are replaced as he sees my obvious stomach and Peeta's hand clenched around mine.

And if looks could kill, Peeta and I would be dead a thousand times over.

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><p><strong>AN: Oh, yes, evil author indeed for leaving it off right there. The bad news for you guys: I'm not updating 'til the 17****th****. (shields self from rotten tomatoes). I'm trying to get this updating back in some sort of order! **

**Besides that, Better than Revenge by Taylor Swift has suddenly become my theme song, and I'm busy planning my revenge on this poor b*tch. I'll give you the story of why that's become my theme if you ask... It's just not very interesting :P**

**Oh, look at me rambling again. I blame it on my OCD. Please review! They'll help me through my crappy week!**

**~Mock, or MJ272 **


	7. Scared It's Time

**A/N: I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for not updating yesterday! I've been SUPER busy with the last week of school, so I haven't had much time to update. So, I give you a DOUBLE CHAPTER! It's much longer than my normal chapters. It has Gale's reaction to everything, and (drum roll) THE BIRTH! Will it be Luke? Or will Katniss get a surprise? Haha, I'll let you read now!**

**~Mock**

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><p>"Don't tell me you actually <em>married <em>that crazy baker boy?" Gale asks in disgust.

"Of course I did!" I yell back. "Why should you care anyway? You left for District 2, and didn't care about me anymore! But you leaving was a good thing for me. It made me realize that I have always loved Peeta, and without you there to cloud my thoughts and make everything difficult, I'm able to have a life with him."

Gale's eyes harden even more. "Well, that's why I came back. To take you with me."

Peeta steps in front of me. "Over my dead body. If you even lay a finger on her and my child, I swear, I'll destroy you right here."

Peeta has a fire in his eyes. He won't let Gale touch me. I am protected, and so is my Luke. Even though I won't have the strength to overcome Gale if need to, Peeta does.

Gale icily regards Peeta. "You're dead body can easily be arranged," he spits.

"NO! You are NEVER going to touch him. You are never to come near our family again!" I shout, jumping off of the counter. I don't care what Gale once was to me. No one threatens my husband.

For inexplicable reasons, Gale's face contorts into a grim smile. "I can go wherever I want, Katniss. I'm the new vice-president of Panem, thank you very much."

No. No, that can't be true. Gale can't be the vice-president. But he's pulling something out of the pocket of his jacket. An identification card that identifies him as vice-president.

"They trust me in most of the districts. They think I did a great job in the war and that I will do another great job helping to restore Panem," he says. "And they want me settled down, to have a wife with me. So for my wife, I choose Katniss."

I don't know who "they" are, but I don't like them. Gale can never take me away now… Can he? I mean, I'm married.

Annie seems angry with Gale's comment. "No! Katniss and Peeta are already married! You can't take her away from Peeta, especially since she's going to have their baby!" she says to Gale, clutching Finn so that he can't walk around.

Gale's hard gaze shifts to Annie. "I can get whatever I want. Katniss, you're coming with me. That baby will be raised as my own." And with that, he reaches for my wrist, like he's going to drag me with him.

All of the sudden, Gale is flying towards the door. Peeta stands in front of me, his fist raised. Gale gets to his feet, but he's clutching his gut.

"This isn't the end! Katniss, you know me! You know I always get what I want. And you're no exception! I'll get you eventually! I always win!" And then Gale runs off towards the train station, no doubt planning his next move.

Peeta stands there, his eyes closed, one hand gripping the counter. He is visibly shaking. I know it's not just leftover anger from Gale's visit. He's having an attack.

I quickly go over to stand in front of him. "Peeta, he's gone now. He's gone," I say, trying to get some response. I am rewarded.

"You want to marry Gale. Real or nor real?" he asks through clenched teeth.

"Not real. That's why I married you. Because I love you, not Gale." I take his hand and bring it down so it's touching my stomach. "If Luke's not proof enough that I love you, I don't know what is. Because you're the only person I would carry him for."

Finally, Peeta's face relaxes. His hand gently caresses my stomach, and his eyes open.

"Thank you," he says in his normal voice.

"Anytime," I say, kissing him lightly. He captures my face and holds me to his lips a bit longer. Beneath all the steadiness and love, there is a new fear in the way he kisses me. I don't like it at all.

"Peeta, he's not going to win," I gasp as I break free. "I'm never going to go him, I'd kill myself first."

"I know," he says against my lips. "But still, I was scared for a moment that I was going to lose you both. I didn't know if he had the political power to do that or not."

I'm not going to let Gale take me away from Peeta. We'd hide in the woods if we had to. The problem is, Gale knows the woods as well as I do, and knows the first spot I would think of to take my family. To the lake.

No, I won't have to resort to us running away. There can be no law saying that those in high political power can marry whoever they choose, even if that person is already married. Paylor wouldn't allow it. Some relief spreads through me, so I consent to kiss Peeta again.

Later that night, as we are in bed, I feel Peeta move. Opening my eyes a fraction of an inch, I see that his head is by my stomach. He's talking to Luke. It's not the first time he's done this.

"You're going to be here in a few days you know. Then we'll finally be able to see how beautiful you are. We know you have to be very beautiful," he whispers against my stomach. "We both love you so much. Even if she tries to deny it, your mother loves you. But she's not denying it any more, is she? You helped her love again. Although I don't know how anyone couldn't love you. We all do. Your mother, Annie, Tereska, Johanna, everyone. They all know how wonderful you're going to be."

With that, he kisses my stomach, and then reverses to his previous position, next to my body.

In the middle of the night, they start. In my stomach, cramps worse than anything I have experienced before. This can only be what my mother described as contractions. For Peeta's sake I try to keep silent, but it's no good. When the next one hits, I can't contain the scream.

"Augh!" I yell into the night, praying that by some miracle Peeta slept through the noise. No such luck, of course. His eyes fly open.

"Katniss! What's wrong, what happened?" he asks frantically.

I groan as another contraction hits. Why the hell did I agree to this, it hurts so much! "What do you think? I'm giving birth-" my words are cut off with yet another contraction.

"Tereska," mutters Peeta. He goes to the phone quickly.

"Please, come quickly. She thinks the baby's coming," Peeta explains. Wait, I _think _the baby's coming? I sure as hell know it is!

"What do you mean, I think? It's trying to squeeze itself out of my pelvis as we speak!" I gasp. Why aren't they taking me seriously?

In a matter of minutes, Tereska quickly walks through the threshold in my room. With her are Johanna, Annie (with Finn), and my mother. She measures my stomach with her hands, saying that I'm starting to dilate.

Well, like I didn't know that. I knew that this thing was coming. The contractions slow down, and Peeta takes my hand. I glare at him.

"I really hope that you like this kid, because we are not having another. This is the first and the last," I tell him. He sighs.

"Whatever you say," he says, and I think I hear a note of sarcasm, but I can't tell. Because at that moment, another contraction comes and I crush Peeta's hand.

Four hours later, I still haven't dilated. Why won't this thing just get out already? At one point, I'm forced to send Peeta out to get ice chips, because if I didn't, I would have probably started screaming my lungs out at him. He comes back all too soon, but the ice chips do give me something to crush when I have the contractions.

Four more hours. Johanna has been smirking at me the whole time. Annie and Finn have left the room, because all of my screaming has been scaring him. After a while, Haymitch comes and tells someone to call him when the baby's here. He quickly leaves after I have my thousandth contraction. I think this is scaring him almost more than his nightmares of the Games.

My will crumbles as my labor goes on. I call Peeta every name I know, and even consider asking Haymitch for some I may have forgotten. I'm surprised that he doesn't leave the room actually, but then again, I'd pull him right back in if he tried. Mother shakes her head, asking me how I ever got such a mouth. Well, she can blame Johanna and Haymitch for any words I know.

Tereska tells me when I have two more hours, just like she did with Annie. Two more hours of pure hell. My contractions start reaching my thighs, and it's all I can do not to pick up one of Tereska's sharp instruments and cut this thing out of me.

When the pain stops for a minute I look at Peeta, who's grinning at me. For some reason, it irritates me. "What? You're not supposed to be happy, you're supposed to be feeling terribly guilty and hate yourself for doing this to me."

Peeta laughs. "Katniss, do you realize that Luke's going to be here in less than two hours? We'll be a family, and maybe even have more-"

"There is no way in hell you are going to convince me to go through pregnancy again, or labor. I'm telling you, this is the worst part of the whole thing," I say cutting him off. "It'll be you and me and Luke, and you're going to have to be happy with it."

Peeta leans his head so that his lips brush my ear. "Katniss, as long as I'm with you, I'll always be happy," he whispers.

I'm about to tell him something, but I can't remember what as the worst pain yet hits and I hit Peeta in the face with my forehead as I jerk my head up without warning. Thankfully, he doesn't seem to be too hurt. But for me, the pains don't stop, and they're at their worst.

Tereska and Mother quickly rush to my stomach, saying that I've dilated faster than they expected. It's only been an hour. But now, the contractions rip through my stomach and thighs, and I can hardly believe that the baby has made it through all of this.

A sort of ripping comes through my stomach. With one hand, I crunch against the ice chips, and with the other, I squeeze Peeta's fingers until they turn purple.

"Push, Katniss, push! He's coming!" Tereska yells. Annie rushes into the room, but she has left Finn. Mother quickly leaves, then reassures us that Finn is asleep in the next room.

All the while, I'm pushing as hard as I can, but the thing won't come! Tereska urges me on, but I can't breathe. It's Peeta voice that jars me back to reality.

"Katniss hang in there! Don't give up now, you're too close. Breathe, and just a couple more pushes, then it'll all be over, I promise!" he yells. I glance up into his face, and I can tell that he's worried. For him and for my Luke, I have to stand this.

Taking a deep breath, I push one more time. Tereska seems excited. "He's crowning, Katniss! Just one more, you know you can do it! One more!"

Repeating my process, I push and feel Tereska's hands slide down my thighs, and something else comes with her. The pain has stopped. It's quiet except for a loud wail coming from Tereska's arms.

I look up at Peeta, and notice that his hand is bent in an odd way. "Oh, Peeta! I didn't break your hand did I? Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"Katniss, it's fine, my hands fine, just a little sore. But you did it! He's here, Luke's here!" he says in an excited whisper.

"Peeta, come here. You can cut the umbilical cord. It's tradition that the father does it," Tereska calls. Peeta quickly goes to the other side of the room and hear a faint _snip_. "Electra," I hear him whisper.

Electra? Wait, it was supposed to be Luke. I thought that I was fighting for Luke. But all this time, Luke never existed? It was always Electra?

Peeta comes back to my side with a bundle in his arms. The bundle is still crying. Without saying anything Peeta hands me the bundle and I see my daughter for the first time.

She is beautiful. Every bit as beautiful as I expected her to be. What does it matter that she isn't Luke? It doesn't change the fact that I've loved her for nine months already. I have always loved my baby girl, my Electra. The joy of holding her here in my arms has made up for the nine months of some of the scariest moments of my life. It has even made up for labor.

The small tuft of hair on her head is as black as midnight, and her skin is the perfect olive color. But when she turns her head towards me, no longer crying, but trying to take in her surroundings, I see her eyes. Or should I say, her father's eyes. My daughter's eyes are an exact replica of Peeta's.

One of her miniscule hands finds its way out of the confines of the blanket. I place my pinky finger in her palm, and she closes her tiny fist around my finger.

I look up at Peeta, who has been watching us. "Get over here," I tell him. "I need to kiss you."

Grinning, Peeta gently touches his lips to mine. Then we both stare at this perfect little creation in my arms. Someone snaps a picture, and lifting my head quickly, I see Mother with a camera.

The crying of Electra brings my eyes to her face once again. Her mouth keeps opening and closing and I remember from Finn's early days that my baby is hungry. I gently lower her to my breast, and she immediately stops crying.

While she's feeding, I begin to sing to her.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_

_A bed of grass, a soft green pillow_

_Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes_

_And when again they open the sun will rise_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daises guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you_

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_

_A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray_

_Forget your woes, and let your troubles lay_

_And when again it's morning, they'll wash away_

_Here it's safe, and here it's warm_

_Here the daises guard you from every harm_

_Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true_

_Here is the place where I love you_

When she's done, I hand her to Peeta. He looks at her with an amazement in his eyes, one that I have never seen before. Electra yawns, her perfect little mouth stretching as far as it will go. She closes her eyes, then opens them determinedly. This goes on for a while, and Peeta laughs.

"She's got your fire," he tells me.

"More like her stubbornness," Johanna says, grinning. I grin weakly back, not challenging at all. I'm too tired.

Finally, Electra closes her eyes for good, breathing deeply. She is passed from every hand in the room, and even Haymitch shows up in time to hold her.

I am drifting out of consciousness when my daughter is back in Peeta's arms. He carefully lowers her into her crib that is beside the bed. He kisses my forehead, and I drift off, basking in the happy glow of Electra.

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><p><strong>AN: WOO! Haha, were you guys expecting that? I know most of you thought it was going to be Luke! Haha, NOPE! With school out, I should have time to write more, so expect more by Friday! Thank you for waiting!**

**~Mock**


	8. Answers

**A/N: WOO! Update time! This is a bit of a filler, sorry! Also a little shorter. But there are also answers in here, and some family stuff with baby Electra!**

**Also, be sure to check out KelsNicole92! *cough* AMAZING WRITER *cough***

**~Mock**

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><p>The next day, Electra is wrapped up in a blanket and sitting in a stroller Annie lent us. Peeta and I never did shop for baby clothes, which I suppose is a good thing now, seeing as I would've bought boys clothes.<p>

When we reach the right section, Peeta immediately begins picking out clothes for our daughter. Soon, he is laden down. I can't help but laugh.

"Peeta, you're going to end up spoiling her," I say, and Peeta grins in response.

A wail from the stroller snaps both of our heads in that direction. Electra must be hungry, because she's doing that thing with her mouth again.

"I'm going to take her home to feed her. Is that all right?" I ask Peeta. He nods, then kisses me lightly, and kisses Electra on the forehead.

As I'm feeding Electra, I begin to ponder over the things Tereska told us about her. She's slightly smaller than the average baby, but that doesn't mean she's unhealthy, because I was the same way. It just means she'll probably end up having my build.

No one else but Peeta and I can see it, but we can tell that Electra has some of Peeta's calm personality, but more of my fire. I call it parents' instinct. Johanna calls it freaky.

When Electra's done feeding, I burp her like Tereska showed me. Normally after she eats, Electra likes to sleep, but for the first time, she shows no signs of getting tired. She stares up into my face, and grasps her hand around my pinky. I can't help but marvel.

Peeta walks through the door, loaded with bags. He goes into the baby's room that he has been preparing while I was pregnant. I haven't been allowed to see it yet.

"Katniss, come in here," he calls softly from the room.

Shifting Electra into a more comfortable position, I walk into her room, and gasp when I see what Peeta's done with it.

On the walls, a sunset is streaming through the trees of a forest. There is a dresser, a crib, and a rocking chair. Peeta is putting the clothes in the dresser, separating the night clothes, clothes for warmer weather, and clothes for colder weather.

"Oh, Peeta, this is perfect for her. How did you do the walls? They look so amazing," I say, touching the walls with one hand, still holding Electra with the other. Peeta comes over and puts his arms around my waist.

"Anything for Electra," he says.

"So you're saying that you knew the whole time it was Electra? And you let me think it was going to be Luke?" I ask, turning around to face him. He chuckles, taking Electra from me.

"Well, I didn't know for sure. Let me rephrase that. Anything for our child," he says, rocking Electra in his arms.

I laugh quietly. Peeta really will make the better parent.

Electra quickly falls asleep in her fathers arms. Peeta gently lays her down in her crib, and kisses her forehead. He leads me out into the kitchen, where he pulls out the book.

"How about we get caught up with this while we have time?" he asks. I nod my head and we sit down at the table.

I finish Prim's pages, writing down everything about her, and everything she was. Peeta sketches something on a piece of paper as I work.

Finally, I close the book. Peeta doesn't seem to notice; he is intent on his drawing. I try to look over his shoulder, but he shifts so I can't see what he's doing.

Grinning, he turns to look at me. "You'll see when I'm finished, I promise," he tells me. I roll my eyes, but laugh at the same time.

"I'm going to see Annie and Johanna before they leave," I say, kissing Peeta lightly. He nods and goes back to his drawing.

When I reach the house in Victor's Village Annie and Johanna are staying at, I find them sitting at a table, heads huddled together. They quickly look up as they hear me walk in. Johanna grimly nods her head once, and gestures to another chair.

I sit down, wondering what's going on. Annie looks scared, and Johanna takes a deep breath before talking.

"You know Gale. How far would he's willing to go for you," she says, going right in. I stiffen. I'm not in the mood to talk about Gale's visit right now, but I think of Peeta and Electra. Their lives might be in danger….

"I honestly don't know," I reply. "I don't think he'd really stoop so low to killing them, but then again, he's different. He's not the Gale I once knew."

Johanna sighs. "I think we have to make a trip to the Capitol then. Talk to Paylor about this while he's not around. I'll see if I can arrange it with Plutarch."

She gets up to leave, and Finn waddles into the room. Annie quickly picks him up, and grabs some crackers for him. He chews on one contentedly, unaware of the danger his mother might be putting herself in, just by being associated with me. How is it I always manage to put the ones I love in danger?

Annie looks over at me. "Where are Peeta and Electra?" she asks in her innocent voice.

"At the house. Peeta's drawing, and Electra's sleeping," I answer emotionless.

At that moment, Peeta walks in the door, with a cranky Electra in his arms. She seems to have just woken up. I take her quickly, humming to her, and she calms down in minutes.

Smiling, Peeta shows me the picture he had been working on. It's one of me and Electra. From when I first held her. I am exhausted looking, but my eyes shine as I look at Electra. It's the most beautiful thing he has ever done, including our wedding cake.

"Oh, Peeta," I whisper, stretching to kiss him. "It's beautiful. How do you think of these things?"

He shrugs and takes Johanna's empty chair. "What's up? Where's Johanna?" he asks.

Annie looks at him fearfully, and he notices. I quickly tell him what Johanna told me, and how she's making a phone call to Plutarch.

No sooner do I finish talking when Johanna comes back into the room, a sour look on her face. I hold Electra closer to me and brace myself for the worst.

"Apparently, Paylor was hurt by her enemies, and that's why they had the election for vice-president. Gale's in charge for another five months while Paylor recovers. He has ultimate power. We have to do something, and fast."

"What can we do?" I scream, losing it. "Gale's going to do something horrible, and then I'll be alone aga-," my voice chokes off. Peeta quickly puts his arms around me, and I try not to think that it might be the last time he holds me like this…

"Calm down! We'll take care of this. I think for the time being, you can come down to District Four with us. We can better protect you there, he won't think you'd have moved."

I take a shaky breath and consider this. It would be harder for Gale to find me, and I'd be closer to Johanna, who can help protect me.

A sudden idea hits me. I can't believe that I didn't think of this sooner, when Gale first came. Then again, I had gone into labor the next day…

I stand up, and Johanna asks me where I'm going.

"I'm going to talk to Hazelle," I say before I walk out the door.

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><p><strong>AN: Haha! How do you like that little cliffhangar? Haha, I had a lot of fun with the end of this! See you next week!**

**~Mock**


	9. Leaving

**A/N: WOO! Update time in Mock land! I am EXTREMELY sorry to say I won't be updating until the 15****th****. I'm going to my secluded hole of seclusion for a week, and will have absolutely no contact with the outside world! WOOT! Here's a little something before I go though.**

**~Mock**

* * *

><p>I quickly find my way to the familiar area. There's no such thing as the Seam anymore, but there are houses where the Seam was. Hazelle moved to the house that is in the same area as her old one after the rebels won the war.<p>

Taking a deep breath, I knock on the door. I haven't had much to do with Hazelle since I came back, other than to say "hi" when we passed. Still, it doesn't mean I don't like her.

Rory opens the door. He looks exactly like Gale, fourteen and already a man. He towers over me, his eyes looking deadly.

"What?" he asks dejectedly.

"Can I talk to your mother?" I ask. He shrugs and leads the way in.

I find Hazelle in the living room, doing laundry. She smiles at me as I walk in.

"Well, I haven't seen you in a while. Have a seat," she says. I sit down, slightly surprised at how easy it is without Electra in my stomach. Rory tramps up the stairs, shoulders hunched over. Hazelle watches him go sadly.

"He's been that way ever since the end of the war. We couldn't figure out what it was at first, but after a while we got him to tell us it was Prim's death. Apparently they liked each other."

I stare at her in shock, and then up the stairs Rory went up, disappearing from view. Prim and Rory? I knew that he had comforted her during the Games, but I never suspected anything more. That just makes the memory of her death fresh in my mind, and even more painful.

"Anyway, what do you need dear?" Hazelle asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I need to talk to you about Gale," I say in a low voice. Hazelle immediately sits up straight.

"What about Gale? What's he done? The last time that I heard from him, he became vice-president," she says. I nod in assent.

"He came to the bakery the other day. He told me that because he was vice-president, he wanted to marry me, and that my daughter would be raised as his own. He, he literally tried to take me, but Peeta stopped him. Please, can you help me? Set him straight?" I ask, a light pleading creeping into my voice.

To my dismay, Hazelle's face doesn't reassure me. In fact, I've never seen her look so lost.

"I'm, I'm sorry Katniss dear, but I don't know if I'd be able to do much. He doesn't contact me anymore, and he's gotten fiercely independent. I don't even know how I'd talk to him," she says, and I can tell she's really trying to help me.

"Gale might be coming back here to take me with him," I tell her. "I'm going to be in District 4 for a while, so he can't find me. Please, if you see him back here, don't say anything about where I am. Just, try to set him straight," I plead her. I'm trying to be strong, but the tears are threatening to spill over.

"I'll do everything I can dear. Gale might be my son, but he doesn't need to take you if you're already married," she tells me.

"Thank you," I tell her. Instead of leaving, I go up the stairs, and find Rory's room. I knock on the door, and when he doesn't answer, I open it anyway.

He's sitting on the floor, not doing anything. He looks up at me when I walk in.

"I just want to let you know, if there was anything about my life I could have done differently, it would be to have acted faster and saved her. I'm sorry." I don't wait for his answer. I simply walk out of the room, and out of the house.

Finding my way back to my own house, the tears start as soon as I walk through the threshold. Peeta and Electra are at the dining room table, and Peeta quickly shifts her so that he's holding Electra with only one hand when he sees me.

I run into Electra's room. The beautiful room that she can't sleep in for who knows how long! Why can't my life be normal? I thought that with Peeta and Electra my life was slowing down, that I could have the chance at living a normal life as a wife and mom, but no!

I crumble on the floor, crying my eyes out. Peeta puts his arm around me, and I take Electra from him, holding her close. She can't be put in danger. I won't allow it. If it wasn't for her, I might just stay in District 12, but she has to be safe…

Peeta puts his face in my hair and kisses my head. I don't know how long we sit like this until I cry myself out.

When my breath turns into shuddering gasps, Peeta begins to speak.

"Hey, are you sure this is the right choice? Or was it something Hazelle said? I can't help you with all these tears in the way of your beautiful face," he says. I take some more breaths, then finally find my voice again.

"I don't want to leave Peeta," I whimper. "I don't want to have to go."

"I know, I know. I don't want to have to go either. But I also want to keep Electra safe. It's not like you're going alone. I'll be with you every step of the way," Peeta says in his soothing voice.

I know that relocating to District 4 for a while is the best choice for my daughter. And her life comes before mine.

"Then let's go to stinking District 4. Quick, before I change my mind," I say shakily. Peeta kisses my head again, than starts packing some clothes into a small suitcase. I don't know how he got the suitcase, and at the moment, I really don't care. I just sit on the floor, holding Electra to me. She gets hungry after a while, so I mutely feed her, then go right back to cradling her in my arms.

Too quickly, Peeta has everything packed, for Electra and the two of us. He makes a quick phone call, and Johanna, Annie, and Finn are over in an instant. Johanna takes the suitcases and Annie comes down on the floor with me.

"C'mon," Johanna says in the softest voice I have heard from her. "There's a train that leaves at eight, and we don't want to be late. The sooner we get you out of here, the better for everyone." Everyone except me.

Peeta has to guide me to the train. I refuse to put Electra in the stroller. I need her here in my arms, to remind myself I am doing this for her, so I don't go back.

I don't want to leave my home. I have almost no regard for my own safety, and I would take Gale if I needed to. The only thing making me go is an "accident" he could arrange for Peeta and Electra if we stayed. He wouldn't be able to find them to arrange an accident if we're in District 4.

When we get on the train, we are assigned three rooms, but we only take two. Peeta, Electra and I take one, while Annie, Finn, and Johanna take the other one. Electra quickly goes to sleep, but I can't seem to close my eyes. I sit on the bed, not moving. It takes a long time before Peeta can finally coax me into laying down. Eventually, I fall asleep.

Peeta and Electra are dead. The bakery caught fire while they were there. I am alone. I sit in my house, my cold empty house.

Gale walks in. His smile makes me want to throw something at him, but I can't move.

"I told you Katniss. I always get what I want. And now our wedding is tomorrow," he says.

The scene changes. I am in my wedding dress again, only this time, I'm standing at the end of a large, white hall. Hundreds of faceless people are there, watching me. And the man at the altar, isn't Peeta, but Gale. My legs won't listen to my protests as they carry me toward Gale, to my doom…

"Katniss! Wake up, nothing you're seeing is real! Wake up!" someone yells. I know that I am screaming, I know that I am crying, but I can't stop. I can only continue, the image of me marrying Gale burned into my mind.

"Katniss, open your eyes right now!" the voice commands. I obey, because it's a voice I trust.

I see Peeta, not Gale. Peeta's alive and well, and I can hear Electra wailing from her cradle as well. They're safe. I'm not marrying Gale. My family is still alive.

My hysteria subsides into more controlled crying, and Peeta holds me until even that stops. When I'm able to walk, I take Electra and hold her close to my tear stained face. She's stopped yelling now, so I sing to her, and she drifts back to sleep.

As I lay back in bed, Peeta asks me a question. "Katniss, what was it? Do we need to make a list?"

"No," I say, and I'm surprised how tired sounding my voice is. "I just needed reassurance that you and Electra were all right. In my dream you were, you were-" I can't bring myself to say the words, but Peeta gets the message. He holds me to him, kissing my hair occasionally.

I fall asleep against his chest again, and with his arms to keep me sane, the nightmares don't find me. At least for now.

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><p><strong>AN: WOO! Haha, they get to District 4 next update, where, of course, nothing goes as planned! I'll let y'alls think on that for two weeks. **

**Oh, and there's a poll up on my profile. Vote if you haven't done so already! It would make me happy! C'mon, you know you wanna vote! You know you want to review to! Yes, you do… (work with me force…)**

**~Mock**


	10. Promise

**A/N: SORRY! This was supposed to be up last week, but my computer Internet broke down, and the ones at the library don't take flash drives Sorry again! I hope you like this chapter though. Thank you to the incradible fanbase I have out there, you guys are seriously amazing!**

**~Mock**

* * *

><p>When Peeta wakes me up the next day, the train is no longer moving. I look out the window, and I see a beach. We have arrived in District 4.<p>

I pick up Electra, who is still asleep, and we meet up with Annie, Johanna, and Finn. We are greeted by a blistering heat. Annie gives Finn to Johanna and runs straight to the water. She jumps off the low wall, and for a moment I'm worried about her, but her head breaks through the water, and there is an expression of pure happiness on her face. I've only seen this look when she was with Finnick, or when she's with Finn.

"Come!" Annie shouts from the water. Johanna looks at me, a smile on her lips.

"We will once we get all this stuff in your house!" Johanna yells back at her. Annie nods and dives beneath the water again.

Annie's house is in Victor's Village of course, which is about five minutes away from the beach. I'm startled at the extreme difference in her house and mine. We both have houses in a Victors Village, but hers is so much… lovelier. The layout is different, only one story. Everything seems to be centered around the ocean. It's the most beautiful place I have ever been, besides Electra's room.

Johanna leads us to one of the bedrooms. Peeta puts Electra's cradle in place, and Johanna puts Finn down on the bed. She leaves for a couple of minutes to get us sheets, and I put Electra in her cradle so I can help Peeta unpack. It gives me something to do, to distract my mind from District 12, where it's been since I woke up.

"Let's go!" Johanna yells as she comes back in. I'm momentarily confused, but then remember Annie at the beach. Peeta picks up Electra and Johanna grabs Finn by the hand.

When we arrive at the beach, Annie is deep out in the water, looking very much at home. Johanna goes right in after her, but I hesitate. Peeta looks at me, and I know we're thinking the same thing.

"Go on Katniss," he says. "I can't swim very well anyway, and someone has to watch the kids." I give him a quick kiss of thanks and quickly submerge myself in the water.

I haven't swam in such a long time, not since the Quarter Quell. The salt water seems to support me better then the fresh water of the lake. Johanna quickly swims out to meet Annie, but I stay in the shallow water where I can put my head back and simply float on the water, pretend for a while that this is just a vacation…

How long I'm in the water I don't know. But when Johanna is grabbing my arm and my eyes fly open, I see the sun beginning to set over the water's edge.

"You know, the water's not such a good place for a girl on fire," Johanna says in a mocking tone. I roll my eyes at her and we swim back to the shore together.

Annie stands there to greet us. She gives a violent shiver, and quickly starts walking to her house. Johanna and I follow her.

When we get to the house, I see Peeta giving Finn a few small crackers. Finn bites on them with the few teeth that are starting to come in.

I throw my arms around the back of Peeta's neck with enough force to nearly knock him over. He quickly spins around so that we're facing each other, and crushes me into his chest. Out of the water, I remember why I'm here, and Peeta's chest is a great comfort for me.

A crying nearby snaps my face free. I immediately recognize the crying as the sound of my daughter.

"She must have just woken up," murmurers Peeta. He rushes into a nearby room, and I quickly follow him.

Electra calms down once she sees us. Despite the situation, to have my daughter recognize Peeta and I brings a smile to my lips. Peeta lifts her out of the crib and kisses her on the forehead, then wraps his free arm around my shoulders. It's a comforting feeling.

"DINNER!" we hear Johanna yell from the next room. I want to ignore her, but Peeta starts walking towards the sound of her voice, and I can't bear to leave him.

Johanna is standing over a pot on the counter top. As I come closer, I see she is ladling a soup of some sort into four bowls. The bowls are ceramic, with designs of waves on them.

Finn is in a high chair next to the table, banging a plastic spoon against the small table-like thing in front of him. There is an empty high chair next to his, and I assume it's for Electra. I take her from Peeta as he helps Johanna with the food.

Annie comes up to me, and she has changed into fresh, warm clothes. "Extra clothes are in the closet," she says, pointing down the hall. "Can I hold Electra while Katniss changes?"

I hesitate for a moment. It's not that I don't trust Annie, but I loathe to have Electra out of my sight for even a second. Taking a deep breath, I smile at Annie.

"Sure," I say, transferring Electra into Annie's waiting arms. Annie immediately begins to make cooing noises at my daughter, and I feel confident they'll be alright.

Finding the closet where the clothes are, I hurry into a bathroom to change. I quickly peel off my wet clothes and change into a white, short sleeved shirt and some light blue, lightweight sweats. Annie and I are roughly the same size, so the clothes fit me well.

Back in the kitchen, Annie still has Electra, so I take her and set her in the high chair. Peeta hands me a bowl of soup, and Johanna gives Annie one. The soup isn't hot like I expected, but rather cool and minty. It's delicious. I see Johanna watch for my reaction warily.

"It's not Peeta's, but it'll do," I tease her. She just rolls her eyes at me, muttering something about how nothing can please me unless Peeta does it.

While we eat, Peeta shows me what he was doing while I swam. One is a drawing of me, out in the water. The second is of Electra and Finn, Electra on someone's lap, Finn smiling at her.

"I have a feeling they'll end up being friends. Seeing as they're going to spend most of there childhood together," Peeta whispers in my ear.

"You know, I really _hate _it when you do that," interrupts Johanna.

"And I really _hate _it when you always ruin the moment," I shoot back at her. She shrugs, no sign of regret in her features. Not that I was expecting any.

Peeta, of course, seems completely unaffected. It's surprising how little it bugs him.

Later that night, away from everyone else, I come out of the bathroom and into the bedroom I'll be using while at Annie's. I've changed into pajamas, and I quickly get under the covers. They, like everything else, are lightweight and are soft colors.

Peeta walks into the room, shirtless. He sets a sleeping Electra in her crib, then climbs into bed next to me. I quickly lay my head on his chest, the steady beating of his heart a sweet comfort to me.

"How are you adjusting?" he asks me softly, stroking my hair.

"Well, as long as I can pretend it's just a vacation, I've been able to survive," I whisper back. Absentmindedly, I begin to trace the perfect planes of Peeta's chest with one of my fingers. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. My own eyes close too, but my hand continues its journey.

Neither of us fall asleep. For a while we just lay here, finding comfort in each other. Peeta slips one of his arms under my head, so I can use it like a pillow. That hand starts tracing circles in my hair.

"How long do you think we'll be here?" I whisper after a while. Peeta shrugs, and I can guess he wants to live in this moment for as long as he can. A small smile creeps onto my lips, and I consent.

In my dream, Peeta and Electra are in a fire. Electra looks a little bit older, and a small boy is with them as well. I immediately recognize my Luke.

I can only stand there as they burn, and the fire gives off a revolting reek of roses. I gag, and scream for my family. My family, who I would do anything to keep safe, is burning in front of my eyes.

"Katniss! Wake up, wake up! You're here, you're safe, we're all safe!" Peeta's voice jars me back into reality. Where nothing is burning, and I don't have a son. Only a daughter, whom I love with all my heart.

My eyes fly open, and I find myself being cradled in Peeta's arms. Electra has miraculously slept through my thrashing and screaming. Seeing them safe, I begin to calm down.

"Do you want to tell me what you saw?" Peeta asks quietly once I am coherent enough to talk.

"You and Electra and Luke, you were all burning right in front of me, and there was nothing I could do. I can't let that happen, I can't. I don't want anything more than for you to be safe-all of you," I choke out, my voice cracking on the last word.

Peeta kisses my forehead in reassurance. "You really love Luke, don't you?" he whispers.

"And you really want another kid, don't you?" I whisper back. Peeta nods fervently, a slight pleading creeping into his eyes. I am powerless against it.

Heavily sighing, I mutter, "All right then."

"What was that?" Peeta asks. I glare at him, unable to believe he has convinced me to go through with this again.

"We can have another kid. But this will be the last one. And I want to wait for at least a few months," I grumble reluctantly. A look of happiness comes over Peeta's face, and I know I made the right decision. I would do anything for Peeta's happiness.

"Thank you," he whispers, kissing me. I kiss him back, then drift off to sleep, the promise of Luke fresh in my mind.

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><p><strong>AN: OK, so I'm going to try to update every Friday, but please understand if I can't. This summer has been CRAZY and a bunch of things are coming up last minute. Thank you so much for sticking through with this story, it means more to me than you will ever know. Every "Favorite Story" or "Story Alert" or "Review Alert" makes me so happy, and I can't thank you enough. Until next time (hopefully Friday!).**

**Oh, and if you haven't already, vote on my poll I have up on my profile! What type of story should I write after this (not that this story is going to end anytime soon)**

**~Mock**


	11. I Will Know

**A/N: This is the weirdest thing I have ever done. Ever. This mini chapter is in Gale's POV, and getting into his mind was… well… I think I have to go take a shower. I'm not very fond of Gale in case you couldn't tell. Still, I hope you like this!**

**This chapter is un-Beta'ed, since I wanted to surprise my Beta with this too! Hence, any mistakes are my fault.**

**~Mock**

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><p>I have come back to District 12. It's too different. The Seam is gone, new, better houses built in its place. They rebuilt everything, but they built everything nicer. And it's not familiar in any way.<p>

I walk to the bakery they just _had _to rebuild. That stupid baker boy… I'll make Katniss see she chose wrong. We have been friends for the longest time, and she didn't even know him before she went into the Games! If I can convince her he somewhat forced her to love him in a way… yes, that'll make her leave him.

To my slight surprise, the bakery's not open. Grumbling, I take the walk to the Victor's Village, where I know Katniss to be living by talking to Thom.

I knock on the door of her house, but there's no response. Is she avoiding me? Is she out? I'm almost frustrated enough to break down the door when I hear a voice.

"They're not here."

I turn around to see Haymitch Abernathy. Like usual, he has a bottle swinging from his hand.

"What do you mean? Tell me where they went!" I demand. Somehow, he laughs.

"Why would I tell you that? For one thing, they didn't tell me themselves, in case you showed up and tried to force it out of me. For another, I wouldn't tell you if I did know. You got no business ruining their marriage," he says, not slurring his words like he usually does. This tells me he's not drunk and is telling the truth.

Furious, I go back into town. There's one person Katniss might trust to tell where she was going, a person she would never dream I would get the location from.

My mother's house is in the same place it was, only it was rebuilt to be nicer, like everything else. I bang my fist on the door.

Rory answers, and instead of being happy to see me like he usually is, he gets an angry look on his face. His eyes shoot daggers at me. Of course. He still blames me for Prim's death. So I figured out that it was my bomb. It's not like I wanted it to be used on Prim.

I go past him to the sitting room, where my mother sits. She looks up at me in surprise.

"G-Gale! I didn't know you were coming back. Why did you decide to visit us?" she asks all too innocently.

"Well, I'm not here to visit you. Especially because I'm clearly not welcome," I say, glancing at Rory. "I came here because I need to find Katniss. I know you know where she is."

My mother's eyes widen for a minute, then she straightens out her features. I've cornered her. She knows where Katniss is. And soon, I will too.

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><p><strong>AN: Oh, is Gale getting a bit desperate? *cough cough* YES *cough cough*. I'm aiming to have the new chapter up by Friday. I hope you like this, it was very different to do!**

**~Mock**


	12. Another

**A/N: WOOT! Here's the next chapter! And it's NOT in Gale's POV thank goodness. That was so hard to write! **

**A big THANK YOU to my Beta, KelsNicole92, for still Beta-ing this! I hope you feel better soon!**

**~Mock**

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><p><span>Five Months Later<span>

"Katniss, I'm going to the store to see if I can get Electra some teething rings. Can you cook the noodles? All you have to do is stir them in the pot, and then heat the sauce in the oven for ten minutes. Can you manage that?" Peeta asks me. He's holding Electra, who's trying to bite his ear.

I roll my eyes at him. "I can take care of noodles," I say. Peeta kisses me lightly, then heads out the door.

We've been in District 4 for five months, and Gale hasn't found me. Haymitch has written to us, and he says that Gale has been back to District 12, and is furious that he can't find us.

Shaking my head, I stir the noodles in the water. Electra began teething a couple weeks ago, and has been incredibly fussy. She kept Peeta and me up all last night with her constant wailing.

The mail arrives through the flap on the door. I put the sauce in the oven, then go and check the mail.

There's one from Tereska. She doesn't know where we are either, but she can send letters back to the sender, or whatever. I didn't quite understand it when Johanna tried to explain it to me. As long as the system works, I'm okay with it. I rip open Tereska's letter and read it,

"_I've gone back to District 5 for a while. I needed to check in on my dad, and he's been doing all right. He's been getting help for his morphling addiction, and it seems to be working. He doesn't seem as depressed as he was, and while he's still sad about Mom and Catriona, he says he's glad I'm still in his life._

_When I got to the district, I got a very good surprise. I saw my childhood friend, Kelton. I think he likes me, which is a good thing, seeing as I like him too. I hope you can come out of hiding soon, because, hopefully, there might be a wedding soon (don't I sound like a dreamer!)._

_I can't wait to see you again, and to see how little Electra has grown! I'm waiting for the day everything can go back to normal, so we can all go back to District 12. Can't wait to hear back from you._

_~Tereska_

Tereska with a husband? That would be great for her. Tereska loves babies, and I would love to see her with one of her own.

A burning smell suddenly fills my nostrils. Remembering the food, I run into the kitchen. Sure enough, the noodles are on fire and the sauce in the oven has becomes a blackened mush.

I quickly fill a glass with water and throw it over the burning noodles, and take them off the stove-top. Picking up one of the oven gloves, I plan to take out the sauce, but I hesitate. I hate burns. Peeta only uses one of the oven gloves, but just to be safe, I put both the gloves on.

I put the pot with the sauce in the sink. And of course, Peeta chooses this moment to come back. Electra is happily chewing on a light green plastic ring.

Peeta's eyes quickly sweep the disaster area once called a kitchen. He laughs lightly.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you with the kitchen. What distracted you?" he asks, still chuckling.

"Well if you thought I was going to wreck the place, you shouldn't have had me cook the noodles," I say. "And Tereska sent us a letter."

Peeta picks up the letter and reads through it quickly.

"Well that's great for her. Hopefully we can go back soon, so we can be there for her wedding," Peeta says, smiling.

He sets Electra down on the floor, where she sits and chews on her ring. Annie, Johanna, and Finn come in, Johanna laughing when she sees the kitchen.

"Did you seriously let Katniss try cooking?" she gasps in between her laughs. I shoot her a death glare, which only answers her question. She spirals into a whole new round of laughs.

Finn runs to where Electra sits. "Baby Lec-ta!" he says loudly. Electra giggles.

Finn has been talking more and more every day. He loves Electra, and she loves him too. Peeta jokes that they're going to end up falling in love when they get older.

Quickly, Peeta takes some more noodles from the cupboard, and whips up some delicious pasta. I savor every bite.

After we eat, we get a surprise visit from my mother. She's visited a few times since we arrived in District 4, but I can tell it pains her slightly to see me with Peeta and Electra. Perhaps because her husband and one of her daughters is dead.

My mother has a frantic look on her face. "I just got off the phone with Hazelle. She says Paylor is only going to be in recovery for about three more weeks, but Gale's getting desperate. He's coming to all the districts, looking for Katniss. I-I don't know what we're going to do about this one," she stammers.

I close my eyes and rub my head just above my left eyebrow. Unconsciously, I pick Electra up off the floor and hold her close. She left her ring, so she starts to bite on my finger. I hardly notice.

Peeta's arms encircle my waist. "If he finds us, we're just going to have to deal with it. We've handled Gale before," he says.

"We still have no idea how much power he has. And if he finds us, what happens if he arranges something to go wrong?" I whisper, hugging Electra closer.

"We'll all be watching for something like that," Johanna says softly. "He won't be able to do anything," she promises.

"Um, Katniss, I want you and Electra to come to the hospital. She needs a checkup, just to make sure she's healthy, and you need one too," my mother says cautiously. To her surprise, I sigh and just say, "Let's go then."

I follow my mother to the hospital, with Electra. Peeta comes with us.

At the hospital, Electra's tests are done quickly, and everything is said to be perfectly fine. She behaves well, but Peeta still has to hold me back when some unfeeling doctor plunges a needle into my daughter.

Electra falls asleep soon after her tests, and then it's my turn. A man who identifies himself as Dr. Arkin comes into the room with the results of my tests.

"Well, Mrs. Mellark, everything looks in order. We just have one more test for you," he says. He gives me a small cup, escorting me to a bathroom, and telling me to pee in the cup.

I do as he bid me and take the cup back to him for testing. I don't know what this test is for, but I don't have long to wait. Dr. Arkin comes in a few minutes later with my results.

"Well, as we suspected Katniss, we have found out that you're pregnant. Congratulations," he says.

I am frozen in shock. Peeta takes my hand, delighted. "Katniss did you hear? Another baby, and maybe it could be Luke…"

I laugh hollowly. "We thought it was going to be Luke last time too. But we got our little Electra," I say.

"Like you ever regretted Electra," he says, shifting her in his arms. "Besides, you agreed to this."

"Yes, because I didn't have a husband who convinced me into it or anything," I say, with a small smile on my face.

I am pregnant again. I have to carry a child again. Perhaps it will be easier this time, now that I know what to expect. And my child has made me happy. Another one should make me happy too, right?

Dr. Arkin tells us we can leave, but we stay long enough to tell my mother the news. She offers her congratulations, but I can see the pain buried in her eyes. We leave quickly.

When we get back to Annie's house, we tell Annie and Johanna about my pregnancy. Annie hug's both of us, but Johanna rolls her eyes in a good natured way.

"He's made you go soft," she tells me.

"So what if he has?" I ask. "You love being an aunt to Finn and Electra. I think you would do good to get a man of-"

"No way! I do NOT need a man telling me what to do. I am perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much!" she yells. I shake my head slightly, rubbing my stomach.

Peeta puts Electra in her crib in our room. He comes back out and places his hand on my stomach, and kisses my neck.

A little while later, I write to Tereska, telling her about the upcoming baby, and also our location. If Gale finds me, well, he's going to check District 4 anyway. I can protect my daughter, and my unborn child… And I have other people helping me too. I also tell her that I want her to deliver my baby, and in District 12. Somehow, I wouldn't feel right giving birth anywhere else, and have an uncaring doctor handle my child.

Just as I'm signing the letter, Peeta asks me a question.

"OK, what happens if it's another girl? What would her name be?" he asks.

"Well, I've actually had one in mind. I don't know how I came up with it, but I did," I say. "What do you think about Asteria?"

Peeta considers this for a moment. "I like it," he says. "I like it a lot. So if it's a boy, Luke, and a girl, Asteria."

I nod in confirmation. Again, I start to rub my stomach. It's a comforting feeling, just like Electra comforted me when I was carrying her. I feel Luke in my stomach. I can feel it's him. This time, Luke is within me.

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><p><strong>AN: Like it? I hope you did, this was a fun chapter to write. I based Katniss' cooking skills off my own… Yeah, I can't cook anything except hot chocolate. Please review! It makes me SO happy! Hahaha! **

**~Mock**


	13. Running

**A/N: WOO! Updating early! I had some fun with this chapter! I probably won't be able to update next week, because I'm volunteering at my church's Vacation Bible School, and Friday I'm going to my uncle's redneck cabin, which has NO technology. I get to ride QUADS off the mountains instead!**

**Happy blated birthday to WordVortex74, on the 1****st****! Thanks for all the support!**

**Oh, and this chapter is un Beta-ed, so any mistakes are my fault. I hope your mom feels better soon Kelsey!**

**~Mock**

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><p>I wake up a few days later to a surprise. Someone sits on the end of the bed, with another person hovering over the first. I jerk myself up into a sitting position, reflexively reaching for my bow and arrows, as I do whenever I feel threatened.<p>

Instead of my weapons, my arm finds the soft bedsheet, while the ends of my fingers scrape the edge of the nighttable next to the bed. The two people come into focus, and I see that Tereska is the one sitting on the bed, but I don't know the man.

I start breathing deeply, but my movement has caused Peeta to stir as well. He opens blurry eyes, and when he sees Tereska and the man, he reacts the same way I did, only one of his arms flings out in front of me. Soon, Peeta too, sees this is not a threat.

Tereska quickly gets off the bed, looking alarmed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"It's OK," I say quickly, cutting her off. "We're just not used to that kind of stuff, but it's alright, really. Just scars from being victors," I tell her, my breathing turning to normal.

"OK," Tereska says tentatively, and sits back down. She gestures to the man. "This is Kelton, by the way. He decided to come with me."

Kelton nods a hello. He seems the exact opposite of Tereska. Where she's full of energy, he's quieter, more reserved. I immediately like him.

Scrambling to my feet, I go to Electra's crib. She's just starting to wake up. I pick her up, and sit her down on the bed, keeping two of my fingers in her grasp.

Tereska beams as she looks at Electra. "Well, she sure has grown! She looks perfect too. You two are doing a good job with her," she says with a smile.

A rush of unexpected pride fills me. Tereska, the baby expert, thinks I'm doing a good job being a mother. To think, me, who never thought she'd have kids.

Tereska continues. "And you have another one on the way! Do you know how far along you are?"

"No, we just got the news yesterday," I say. "Still, as Johanna would say, you're the Doctor Extraordinaire. How far along do you think I am?"

Tereska gets a grin that I know only too well. "Well, when do you think conception took place?"

Peeta and I turn to look at each other. I can feel a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

"It could have been any time during the past three months," Peeta says after an uncomfortable silence. I busy myself with Electra, trying to hide my face.

"Well, I'd say you're between two to three months, probably closer to two. The second baby normally shows quicker than the first one. Have you noticed any cravings?" she asks.

Now that I think about it, I have been wanting pasta for the past couple of weeks now. I relay this information to Tereska.

We all get up to go the kitchen, where Johanna and Annie are flipping pancakes. I transfer Electra to Tereska's waiting arms and start preparing a bottle for my daughter.

In no time, the pancakes are served, Electra and Finn are in their high chairs, Electra with her bottle and Finn with some rice cereal.

"Watch them together," Johanna says to Tereska and Kelton, indicating Finn and Electra. "It's the funniest thing ever, seeing them."

Sure enough, a couple minutes later, Finn accedentally throws his spoon, and it bumps Electra on the face. His face takes a worried expression, and he starts talking a mile a minute.

"Is baby Lec-ta OK? No being hurt!" he says. In response, Electra giggles. Finn immediately begins laughing with her.

"Yay! Baby Lec-ta not hurt!" he exclaims. These two are the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

I am served some pancakes, but after a few bites, they just don't taste right. I grab some eggs out of the fridge instead, and Peeta helps me to make them. Scrambled, just how I like it.

I'm just about to take a bite when I feel something vile coming up the back of my throat. I run as quickly as I can to the bathroom, where I vomit until my stomach can't possibly hold anymore food.

Peeta, I notice, has come into the bathroom with me, and like every other time I have thrown up, he's pulling my hair back and stroking my neck.

After I'm done, Peeta hands me a glass of water, and I gulp it down as fast as I can. Wiping my mouth, I unsteadily walk back to the kitchen. Somehow, knowing that I have a baby in my stomach again, my center of balance feels all wrong.

Johanna watches me with an amused expression. "One of the many reasons I don't need a man. I don't need to get all knocked up and puke my guts up every morning," she says matter of factly, then takes a bite of her pancake.

Finn pats my hand, making me jump slightly. "Is Aun-ie Kat-iss feel OK?" he asks. I smile at him, unable to help myself.

"I'm fine Finn. I'm just having another baby, like Electra," I tell him. Finn gets a wide grin on his face.

"Anudder baby Lec-ta?" he asks hopefully.

I laugh. "No, but someone like her. It's be her brother or sister," I try to explain, but Finn just looks confused, or as confused as he can look.

Shaking my head, but smiling at the same time, I begin to eat my eggs. They are delicious, and taste much better to me than the pancakes.

After breakfast, Tereska and Kelton want to take a walk around the beach, and Annie and Johanna want to go swimming. Peeta and I volunteer to watch Finn.

We place Finn and Electra on the floor, where he dances around her, being rewarded with her giggles. After a minute, Electra gets on all fours.

I hold my breath, not daring to believe it. But yes, she's putting one hand out, and a leg follows it. Shaking, she puts one more hand out, and again, a leg follows. She tries again, but this time her hand slips, and she hits the floor hard.

"WAAAAAAAAH!" I'm already scooping her up as Electra starts to wail. This is what I was afraid of, my children getting hurt…

I hug Electra close to my chest, and Peeta puts his arms around the both of us. I press my lips to the place Electra hit her head, and start humming her lullaby to her.

She stops crying once I reach the chorus. Instead, she looks up at me with her father's eyes, and then gives a big yawn.

"I think someone's ready for a nap," Peeta whispers from behind me. I nod slightly, and carry Electra to her crib. She already falling asleep in my arms.

By time we reach her crib, Electra is barely keeping her eyes open. I kiss her forehead, pause as Peeta does the same, then lower her gently into the crib. She rolls over, her hand clamped around a blanket, then falls asleep.

I walk out into the kitchen, where Finn stands there, nervously awaiting us.

"Is baby Lec-ta OK?" he asks. Peeta smiles at him.

"Yes, she's fine. She's sleeping right now though," he says. Finn looks disappointed. However, Peeta starts to play with him, and he is soon thoroughly entertained. I smile, then feel a desire to get out of the house.

I tell Peeta that I'm going to take a walk and he nods. I almost run out of the house, needing to clear my head.

My daughter was hurt today. I have feared for this, and now it's happened. Peeta told me that she would get hurt, and I knew she would. It's nothing compared to the Hunger Games, but it still breaks my heart.

Forcing myself to walk around, I make myself a list.

_Tereska coming down from District 5. Peeta playing with Finn. Johanna and Peeta teaching Annie to cook. Hazelle for not telling Gale…_

My eyes fly open, as though someone called my name. No one did, but I sight seeps into them that I dearly wish hadn't.

I see Gale, not 100 yards away. He's talking to some people I recognize from around the District, but I don't know them by name.

The people point their fingers towards me, and Gale whips his head around. Immediately, he starts running for me.

I'm fast. I take off running towards the beach, where I know people I trust to be. I hear the heavy footfalls behind me, so I put on another burst of speed.

When I get to the sidewalk along the edge beach, I can feel myself slowing down, running out of breath. I blame it partially on the baby, but that only reinforces the idea of why I'm running. Gale can't hurt my unborn baby…

I see Tereska and Kelton. Just a little farther, and I'll have some support against Gale. If I didn't have my baby, I could face him alone, but I can't do anything that might hurt my little Luke…

I'm almost there. Almost to help…

My foot catches on a bump in the concrete, and I go falling down. Falling squarely on my stomach…

My head hits a rock when I fall, and I black out.

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><p><strong>AN: HEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEEHEE! Yes, of course I had to go and leave it right there! Please don't hate me! Hopefully, I can have answers soon, but the next chapter might not be up until the 19****th****. Just giving you a warning (sheilds self from the rotton tomatoes). **

**If you haven't voted on my poll, please do so. Thanks to those who have.**

**~Mock**


	14. It All Comes to This

**A/N: Hey! Sorry for the long wait, but I've been EXTREMELY busy. High schools starting tomorrow, and I had orientation all last week. I know I left it off with a cliffhanger, and I hope this satisfies you. And… Well, I have to say, this story is almost over. I didn't realize it until I wrote this, but I've done what I wanted to do, and I'm finished with this. Only 3 chapters, including this one. I'm so thankful for everyone that has read this. Thanks for sticking with Katniss and Peeta until the very end. **

**WOO! Over 200 reviews! YOU GUYS ROCK MY SOCKS OFF! Seriously, I didn't even dream I'd get that many!**

**Oh, and this chapter is un-Beta'ed. My Beta has been going through some… hard times lately, so I did this one myself. Any mistakes were made by me. **

**~Mock **

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><p>When I wake up, I see the white blankness of hospital walls. Countless faces hover above me, but none of them come into focus. The right side of my body feels much heavier than normal, and when I try to lift my arm, I can't due to something holding my body down.<p>

I blink long and hard, and I find that this helps me see more clearly. The faces themselves don't register, but I can make out a few features. Long red hair. A couple heart-shaped faces. A tall dark haired someone. And a blonde head.

"Peeta?" I manage to croak. The blonde head lifts his face from his hands, and looks at me. His features I could make out anywhere, even with my head feeling fuzzy. But his expression startles me. The blue eyes that have helped me through so much have traces of tears.

"Whas- what's wrong?" I ask, scared. The last thing I remember was Gale chasing me, and then I fell…

And suddenly I feel Peeta's lips on me, crushing down on my own. A tear lands on my cheek, and when Peeta draws back, I can see that he's been breathing very deeply.

"He's been worried sick about you," a shaky voice says. I look towards the source of the voice, and slowly Tereska's face comes into view. She's in a doctor's uniform, and I feel comforted to know that she's taking care of me. I don't trust anyone else.

I look at my ride side, and I see my arm wrapped up in long white strips. Only my fingers are visible. I find that I can wiggle them, but when I try to move my arm, a stabbing pain shoots up through it. I give a small gasp, but thankfully no one seems to notice.

I shift my gaze to the left side of my body. It seems clean, just a couple bandages here and there. I can move this arm without pain. I lift it to my head and find stitches down the right side of my forehead and temple.

I hope that these injuries won't hurt my Luke… Luke! My stomach, I fell on my stomach.

"Luke?" I ask, looking from Tereska to Peeta. Another tear slips down Peeta's face, and he can't seem to talk. I turn to Tereska, my eyes begging for answers.

"He's… we're not sure if he's going to make it. You had a hard fall, it was… scary looking," she says. "They took some tests a while ago, and they haven't come back with results yet.

Worry spreads through me. Not Luke. He can't be dead, he can't be. I've wanted him so badly for such a long time. He was almost here, just another few months. Killing my own child… How could I live with myself?

"What happened?" I ask, and feel a tear of my own on my cheek. "What happened after I fell?"

"Well, Kelton and I saw you running, and we saw Gale following you. We started towards you, and we weren't that far away when you fell. Just before you hit the ground, you sort of twisted to the side, which is why you're right side is so banged up," she says. "But that increased Luke's chances of survival, because you didn't fall right on your stomach," she hastily adds, seeing my alarmed expression.

"Gale caught up to you about the same time we did. He said that he was going to take you back to the Capitol, but we wouldn't let him take you, and after some arguing, we finally agreed that you needed to be taken care of as soon as possible. He's somewhere in the hospital. We don't know what's going to happen, but with all of us here, it's most likely he can't get you. You're safe here."

I lay back, taking it all in. With the hand that I can move, I search for Peeta's hand. I find it almost immediately, and I give him a reassuring squeeze.

"It'll be OK," I murmur. "Nothing's going to happen. Luke's safe, he's safe. I can feel it."

And I can. I think, being his mother, that I would know it if he died. I still feel that he's inside me, living, holding on to life. I know it.

"Where's Electra?" I ask suddenly. The room has come into complete focus now, and I see Johanna, Annie, and Kelton, but Finn and my daughter are nowhere in sight. The last thing I need is more bad news.

"Oh, they're with your mom. She's taking care of them, and bringing them in about ten times a day. Finn's quite worried about you, and Electra keeps crying. I think she wants to hear your voice again," Johanna says, speaking for the first time.

"How long have I been out?" I ask, alarmed.

"Two days," Peeta says shakily. "Just laying there, all these machines hooked up to you, your arm all wrapped up, not knowing if Luke was alive. I saw Tereska carrying you past the house, and your head was soaked in blood-" his voice breaks.

I grasp his hand to the point of hurting mine. The assurance for him, the comfort for me. We both need each other right now, both need the other's presence.

The door opens, and to my dismay, I see Gale. He looks at mine and Peeta's hands intertwined, and his face gets even harder.

"Why, Katniss? Just why," he demands. Peeta stands protectively in front of me, but I don't need it. I need to talk to Gale on my own. I glance up at Peeta, and he gets the message. He shifts so that I can see Gale, but he still keeps a firm grip on my hand.

"Why what?" I ask. "Why did I choose Peeta? Maybe because I fell in love with him Gale. Did you ever think of that?"

"No you didn't," Gale says. "He forced you to love him. If he hadn't started the star-crossed lovers, you wouldn't have had to pretend to be in love with him. Acting for so long, well, it starts to mess with your mind," he says earnestly. I can't believe what I'm hearing.

"But we always had something," Gale continues. "Always. You never had to pretend with me. We had a real connection, not a fake one."

It's all I can do not to sit up out of bed and kill him. "Did you know that Peeta gave me to you?" I ask Gale furiously. He shakes his head, like I knew he would. "He told me that I could have you, if you made me happy. But when Peeta was taken away from me, when President Snow took him away, I couldn't live with myself. I needed him more than I thought. And that was at a point in my life when I wanted more than anything not to be in love with Peeta, because it would make it that much harder when Snow hurt him. But I realized that Peeta was the one that made me happy. I've been able to live for a couple years now without you. I can't live for a minute without Peeta."

Gale's expression changes to one of hurt. "We still had something," he whines. "You can't just forget that."

"I can't forget that you killed Prim either," I say softly. "And you never said sorry."

Gale's hard expression returns, and he suddenly turns and leaves the hospital. My expression in one of extreme shock and happiness, and I see this expression mirrored on everyone else in the room. Then I start laughing.

"He's gone!" I yell out to Peeta. "He's gone and he's out of our lives. We can go home, we don't have to worry about him anymore! You and Electra are safe!" I'm laughing and crying at the same time, the relief off of my shoulders. And then Peeta joins in my elation, kissing my hand, and finally kissing me full on the lips. I wrap my good arm around his neck, my hand in his hair, pulling him closer.

The kiss is full of tears of joy. Gale is gone. I can live my life with Peeta, Electra, and hopefully our Luke…

At that moment, my mother walks in, holding Electra in one hand, holding Finn's hand with her other. Peeta and I break apart, but he's still only a millimeter away.

"What just happened?" Mother asks. "I just saw Gale storming out. When he saw me, I thought he was going to do something to Electra, but he just stomped off."

"Gale's gone!" I yell, and the whole room explodes with hugging and crying tears of happiness. Johanna hugs Annie, Tereska kisses Kelton on the cheek and he wraps his arms around her.

And I hold Electra to me, and kiss Peeta with as much force as I can. Ideally, I would love to have two working arms, but in my situation, this will have to do. And I'm grateful. Grateful for all the times Peeta has been there to hold me, for the times he has comforted me from my nightmares, for the times he makes me smile. Grateful that he gave me everything.

As we're celebrating, Dr. Arkin walks into the room. His presence silences everyone, as we wait for the news of my unborn child…

"Well, Mrs. Mellark, you took quite a fall," he says, as if I didn't know. But I force myself to sit there, grasping Peeta's hand, waiting for the news.

"And, as I'm sure you're aware of, this is likely to cause miscarriages. We took some tests while you were unconscious, to make sure that your baby was alive, and we have the results." I hold my breath, crushing Peeta's hand.

"Your baby is alive and healthy," Dr. Arkin says. "This fall might increase your chances of a possible miscarriage in the future, and increase the possibilities of being born with a birth defect. As of now, however, the baby is perfectly healthy."

I can't believe my luck. Luke is safe. He's alive and well, and I don't have to worry about him being hurt by Gale. My family is all safe. We're all safe and happy.

Dr. Arkin leaves the room, and our celebration resumes. Annie, Tereska, my mother, and I all have tears streaming down our face, and I even think I see Johanna shed a tear.

"Johanna, are you actually crying?" I ask. She tries her best to flash a murderous glare in my direction, but amidst all the happiness, it just doesn't work. She seems to realize this.

"Let's get something straight, Mellark. I will go easy on you because you just figured out your baby's alive, but I do NOT, under any circumstances, cry. Do you understand?" she asks, the usual sarcastic verve somewhat lacking.

I shake my head at her, and turn my attention back to Peeta. Electra, now that she is back in my arms, smiles happily, chewing on one of the teething rings my mother thought to bring her. I have my left arm busied with Electra, so I have only my eyes to tell Peeta just how much I want him. I look up at him, and see the same love in his eyes I know I have reflected in mine. He comes down for another kiss, both of us basking in our happiness and relief.

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><p><strong>AN: WOOT! They're all safe! This is so close to the end, and I'm sad, but I will be writing another KatnissxPeeta story afterwards. I'm also looking for a playlist for Katniss and Peeta, specifically for this story. If you know a song that reminds you of Katniss and Peeta IN THIS STORY tell me about it!**

**Reviews are much appreciated. Thankee much!**

**~Mock**


	15. Seeing

**A/N: OMG! THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER! I'm seriously crying over here! I never thought that this series would actually end… or rather, that I would get to the end! There's just this chapter, then the epilogue. That's crazy… I can't wrap my mind around it. I've been working on this series before I started FanFiction, and I joined in April. This has been going on since March now, and it's definitely bittersweet. But, I WILL be writing another Katniss/Peeta story. I don't know the title yet, but look for it, should be up by next month. THANK YOU for all the support on this story. It means the world to me.**

**To the people I said this chapter would be up last week: SORRY! The day I was going to update, my thumbdrive was in my laptop, and I was sitting on the edge of the bed working, and the laptop fell on its side, and the drive broke in half. I had to rewrite some chapters over. It was my most treasured possession, my best friend gave it to me for my birthday, and he put a bunch of special stuff on there. I've been having a crappy week otherwise, in 24 hours, I basically lost my thumbdrive, my best friend, and a lot of my hope. **

**Un-Beta'ed chapter, I wanted to surprise her with the gender of the baby!**

**~Mock **

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><p><span>Seven and a Half Months Later<span>

We sit in the bakery. My family, Peeta, Electra, me, and our baby that will be born any day now. I sit in the back room with my daughter, and Peeta is trying to watch Electra draw and bake a cake at the same time. I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face.

Absentmindedly, I rub my stomach. It was easier to carry this child, whom I still avidly believe is Luke, than it was Electra, but not by much. Every time he moved, I was consumed with that same terror, but I coped with it better because I had a sense of what to expect. I stand up briefly to stretch.

And they begin. I recognize them from when Electra was born. Contractions shoot up through my stomach, making me double over and causing a small gasp of pain to escape my mouth.

In an instant Peeta is here, grabbing my hand, standing me up so that we can rush home together. He puts one arm around my waist and with his other hand he grabs Electra's hand. She began walking a couple months ago, around her birthday, but soon it's clear that she can't keep up with us. Soon, Peeta just ends up carrying her.

We arrive home, where Peeta gently lays me down on the bed and then starts to make phone calls. Electra sits on the bed with me, making random noises. She can't talk yet, but she sure makes an awful lot of noise. For her sake, I try to contain my screams. I know how crazy I am while in labor, and I don't want Electra to have that memory of me. But it's hard. My memories have done nothing to prepare me for the pains labor brings. They are worse than I could have ever imagined.

Soon, Annie, Finn, Johanna, Kelton, and the slightly pregnant Tereska come rushing in to my room. Finn runs right up to Electra.

"Come on, Lec-ta, Momma's going to play wif us while Auntie Katniss has anodder baby!" he says animatedly. Despite the pain I'm in, I have to laugh. Even though he can say her name right now, Finn insists on calling Electra "Lec-ta". Electra giggles and jabbers as Annie leads her and Finn out of the room.

Tereska measures my stomach with her hands, confirming that I'm starting to dilate. She then sits down and rubs her hands over her own small bump. Tereska and Kelton were married four months ago, and she thinks that baby was conceived a month later. She's ecstatic.

With Electra gone, I'm free to scream. At first, I try not to, but eventually I end up screaming my lungs out with every contraction that hits, calling Peeta some pretty horrible names. Four hours pass, and I seem to have dilated faster than last time. After my first four hours, Tereska tells me I only have two left.

Peeta gets me a bag of ice chips to crunch down on in my right hand, my left hand claiming his own. My right hand throbs a bit, which I don't take to be a good sign. It healed from my fall months ago, and I really hope this doesn't break it again…

At least I know that I have protected my baby from Gale. Last I heard of him was on the TV, and they were announcing his engagement with some woman who's name I think was Star. It doesn't really matter. We're safe from him, and that's all that does matter.

A small break between contractions comes my way, right before my two hours expire. I try to turn a hard glare in Peeta's direction, but I know that I must look too tired for any sort of angry expression.

"This is the last one, you hear me? I don't know how the hell you convinced me to do this again, but we're not having any more. And you better be happy with that," I say, my voice sounding exhausted. Peeta smiles down at me.

"Uh, huh, sure Katniss. Didn't you say the exact same thing when Electra was born? And now look at you. About to give birth again," he says, still grinning. I'm about to give him a death glare that could rival one of Johanna's, but another contraction hits and I scream at the top of my lungs.

"What the hell is with all this screaming? The entire district can-oh," Haymitch says, his sentence cut short as he realizes I'm giving birth. "I'll just be going now."

He finds the doorway blocked by Johanna's arm. He looks at her like he's going to kill her. She just laughs at him.

"Hey, if I can stick through this, so can you," she laughs. Haymitch glares at her for a few seconds longer, then sits down, defeated, and making a big deal of looking anywhere but me. I might have found this funny if my baby hadn't decided to start coming, really coming, just then.

I can feel it in the contractions, the way they rip through my thighs. Tereska rushes over and confirmed what I already knew, telling me to push. I repeat the same exercise I used with Electra, taking a deep breath first, and then pushing. I do this several time before she finally shouts out, "He's crowning, Katniss! Just one more!"

Then her hands slide down my thighs, something alive coming with her. There is a wail coming from her arms, and she turns her back to me to clean my baby up.

I look over at Peeta, who smiling in a way he hasn't since Electra's birth. "We did it," I gasp, then notice his hand. It looks even worse than it did when I gave birth to Electra. Before I can offer apologies, even before he can reply, Tereska's voice cuts through the room.

"Come here, Peeta. You can cut the umbilical cord again." Peeta quickly stands up and all but runs to where Tereska stands. Like with Electra, I hear the faint snip as the umbilical cord is cut. Unlike with Electra, Peeta's doesn't whisper the name of our child. I have no idea if I carried Luke or Asteria.

Peeta soon comes into view, holding a bundle in his arms, unable to take his eyes from it.

"Give him here. I need to see," I whisper, unable to make my voice go any higher. But I raise my arms up so no one could mistake what I want. Peeta gently places the bundle into my awaiting arms, and I lower it to my chest.

And I have given birth to my Luke. A quick check tells me what I already know. Luke has stopped crying now, and I hungrily take in his features. My dreams have not done justice to his beauty, or prepared me for how much I love him. And I have protected him from my fall. His face shows no signs of the birth defects Dr. Arkin predicted he would be born with. We've been to countless ultrasounds to keep a close eye on him, but only know am I assured that Luke is safe.

He has his father's beautiful blonde curls and fair skin, but when I look into his eyes, I find myself seeing a familiar shade of gray. My Luke has my eyes.

I look up, a smile stretched across my face. I don't trust my voice to work, so I can only hope my eyes can tell Peeta what I want. He gets the message, and starts to lean down to press his lips to mine. I stretch my neck, kissing him back.

Luke begins to do the thing with his mouth Electra did when she was hungry, so I quickly expose my breast and lower his mouth to it. Kelton hurries out of the room while Luke is feeding to get Annie, Finn, and Electra. They come back just as Luke finishes his first meal.

"Let's see him!" Johanna exclaims. I carefully lift Luke to her arms, and unlike Electra, he doesn't fuss or squirm at all. I can tell that Luke will have Peeta's personality, just like I could tell that Electra has my fire. Peeta picks Electra up, who immediately starts squirming so she can walk around. Johanna laughs.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say these two weren't related. They act nothing alike," she says.

"Electra got Katniss' fire," says Peeta, exactly at the moment I say, "Luke got Peeta's personality." Johanna looks at us in disbelief.

"Seriously, how do you guys know this stuff?" she asks while handing Luke to Annie. "It's unnatural."

"I've told you before, Johanna, its parent's instinct," I say as Peeta takes my hand. "Of course, if you had your own kids you would know."

Johanna gives me her prize death glare. "And I've told you before. I. Don't. Need. A. Freaking. Man. In. My. Life. Got that?" she asks. Haymitch suddenly laughs.

"Oh come on, Johanna. We all know you love kids, so there's no point in trying to hide it. You know, there is such a thing as adopting," he says. I fully expect Johanna to yell at him, and she opens her mouth like that's exactly what she's going to do, then actually looks like she's considering the idea. Haymitch gives a satisfied snort.

"Now, can I hold my nephew?" he gruffly asks Annie. She nods happily and hands him Luke.

"Yup. We've definitely got another Lover Boy here," he says after one look at my sons face. I glance up at Peeta to see if the use of the old nickname triggers flashbacks, but he just sits there as always, looking happy and content.

"Can I see my son?" he asks after a few minutes. "You know, I didn't really get a chance to look at him. Had to get him to his mother before she started to freak out," he says with an easy grin. Haymitch hands him Luke, and Peeta stares into his sons face with awe and wonder.

"You did a good job with him," he tells me after a few moments, leaning down to kiss me.

"It wasn't just me," I say after we break apart. Peeta caresses my face with his free hand, then Electra is placed on the bed, right next to the crook of my elbow. She looks interestedly at Luke, then gets a wide smile on her face. Finn starts to pout at Electra's interest in Luke.

"Lec-ta! We sould go and play again!" he says, but she barely pays him any attention, causing him to cross his arms. It's too much for all the adults in the room. We burst out laughing at the sight of Finn getting jealous.

"Finn, would you like to see Electra's brother? We've named him Luke," Peeta says after a few minutes.

"Okay," Finn says reluctantly, but as Luke's now sleeping face is lowered down to his level, a smile spreads across Finn's face.

"He looks juss like Unca Peeta!" Finn exclaims, causing Electra to laugh. Finn gives a very satisfied grin in her direction, causing us all to laugh again. It's too funny, watching the two of them interact. Oh, when Electra gets older and learns to talk… She and Finn will be running us all ragged with what I'm sure will be constant chatter. I push the thought from my mind, choosing instead to live in the moment.

Soon, Luke is placed back in my arms, and I marvel at him. Peeta puts Electra on his lap and starts bouncing her on his knee, and leans closer to me and Luke. And for the first time, my family is all together.

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><p><strong>AN: YES! I FINALLY GAVE YOU LUKE! I had to make him, I just had to! Well, this story's over, save for an epilogue and some fun extras I put together. I'm still taking songs for this story, and it's prequel Things Can Be Good Again, so if you know a song, submit it. Shouldn't be too long now before this is done… Although when this is over, I'm taking a break for a while, not going to be writing any of my stories. I need to mourn what I think might be the loss of Cole in peace :''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''(. **

**If (dare I say it) I get to 250 reviews, the 250****th**** reviewer will get to pick a scene from this story or Things Can Be Good Again for me to write in their character of choice's POV. So… Please review! I love knowing if you like this story or not, and they lift me up in ways I can't explain. Special thanks to Meg123 for her amazing reviews, they made my day!**

**Another special thanks to KelsNicole92… She's been helping me through and I can't thank her enough for all the incredible support she's given me. Oh, and for her story Can Love Last?, I have a song for that on my insanely long profile. Check it out! And then read Can Love Last!**

**I'll see you guys soon… Thank you for reading and supporting me. I love you all bunches!**

**~Mock **


	16. Epilogue

**A/N: WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Here's the epilogue peoples! This story is officially OVER! Which sucks… It made me cry when I wrote this! I am so grateful to every single person who has read, and reviewed! I got so much more support on this story than I expected! I thank you all and I hope that I gave you a satisfactory story.**

**WOAHMYGOD! I cannot BELIEVE that I actually reached 250 reviews! SabrinalovesPeeta got to request the scene, it will be from Peeta's POV but I'm not saying which scene. That will be a one-shot story, and it will be called Living On. I hope you end up liking it! And here's your epilogue!**

**~Mock**

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><p>Today is my twelfth birthday. As I'm sitting in our backyard talking with Finn, Luke, Lillian, Aria, and Celeste, my parents come out. I see that my mother's been crying, and for once, she doesn't even try to hide that fact. Finn and Lillian look up at them with an identical expression that I can't read, which is rare. While Lillian's expressions can be hard for me to decipher, Finn is an open book to me.<p>

"Electra," Mother says in a shaky voice. Father puts his arm around her waist, and she seems to find support in that. "You're father and I need to talk to you about something. Can we go into your room?"

I nod my head and stand up, unsure of what's going on. Then, halfway to my room, it hits me.

They're going to tell me about their part in the Hunger Games. In school, we're taught about them, and it wasn't long before I figured out that my parents played a key role in them. I used to try and ask them about it, but every time they'd always tell me, "You'll learn when you're older," and hastily changed the subject. I had assumed that those were just code words for "never," but it seems I was mistaken.

We go into my room, and I see the mysterious "book" sitting on my bed. The book has been another of the things I've been forbidden to see and ask questions about. Well, not like forbidden. The word seems too harsh for Mother and Father. More like they avoided questions about it, and kept it in their room, out of reach for us kids. Luke and I might never have attempted to look at it, but Hector and Jason, my chaotic younger brothers, have surely dreamed of getting their hands on it.

We all sit on my bed, and Mother takes one of my hands. She takes a deep breath before speaking.

"Electra, what do you know about the Hunger Games?" she asks in a low voice. I have my answer ready.

"That every year all the districts except 13 had to send a boy and a girl ages 12-18 to go to the Capitol and fight to the death on live TV. And I know that you and Father were in them," I say. Mother nods her head.

"Yes. You're father and I were in the 74th and the 75th Games together."

"Together? How could you have done it together if there was only one winner? And you went in twice?" I ask. I had always assumed that Mother and Father's Games were separate years, seeing as they were both alive, but I guess not. But never, not even in my wildest dreams, did I suspect that they had to fight in the Games twice.

"Yes, together. On the reaping of the 74th Hunger Games, my little sister, Prim, was reaped. I wouldn't let her go into the Games, so I volunteered for her-you always has the option of volunteering- and then Peeta's name was reaped. I had only met him once, but I didn't want to kill him. I owed him my life.

"When we were eleven, my family was starving. Peeta's family owned the bakery, just like we do know. I was trying to find some food for my family, but came up with nothing. I remember just sitting in the rain, wishing I could die." Mother shudders, and Father gives her a reassuring squeeze. "So Peeta, having never met me, purposely burned two slices of bread, knowing that he would get hit by his mother-"

"You're mother hit you?" I interrupt, my voice at least an octave higher than normal. Mother and Father might get angry with us occasionally, but they have never come even close to hitting us. Father gives me a sad smile and a nod of the head, gesturing for Mother to continue.

"Anyway, his mother hit him, and told him to feed the burned bread to the pigs. But he really gave me the bread, and my family had food for the first time in three days. That bread gave me the hope to start hunting again, and provide for what my family needed. And I never forgot that kindness he showed me, so when we were reaped together, all I could think at the time was, no, not him.

"So we went into the Games together, and during interviews before the Games actually took place, Peeta said that he was in love with me. This started up a whole "star-crossed lovers" act between us, and our romance got so popular in the arena that they announced a rule change, saying that two people from the same district could win.

"What I didn't know was that Peeta hadn't been lying. He really was in love with me, from the time we were five, which is why he gave me the bread. I didn't know this, and most of the time in the arena, I was acting, playing it up for the cameras."

"How come you weren't in love with him, Mother?" I ask a little more harshly than I meant to sound. Father actually chuckles, and even Mother gives a small smile.

"I was afraid to love, Electra. I was afraid of what love can do to you, how it can give someone the power to destroy you, and at the time, I didn't want to get married and have kids. My biggest nightmare was that my children would be reaped and forced to go into those Games. That still is my biggest nightmare in fact, what would happen if the Games started back up," she says, her words turning into a whimper at the end of her sentence, and she seems unable to talk anymore. Father picks up the story where she left off.

"So we ended up being the last two in the Games that year. Then they announced that the rule change had been revoked, and one of us would have to kill the other. I tried to convince Katniss that she should kill me, but she wouldn't do it, and I wouldn't kill her either. So we threatened a double suicide, and the Capitol chose two victors over no victors. We both were allowed to win.

"But what he did sparked rebellion in the districts. They thought that if we could defy the Capitol, they could do it too. President Snow came and talked to Katniss, and threatened that everyone we loved would die if we didn't convince everyone that our trick wasn't completely out of love. I proposed to her on live television, and all seemed well. But then the Quarter Quell came." A dark shadow passes over Father's face for a moment, but he takes a deep breath and continues talking.

"Every twenty-five years, the Capitol added a twist to the Games. That year, the twist was that the tributes would be reaped from every districts pool of victors. Katniss, Haymitch, and I were the only victors, so I went in to protect Katniss. Aunt Johanna and Finnick, Finn's father, all went in that year, and Aunt Annie was reaped, but another person volunteered for her."

"Aunt Annie and Aunt Johanna were both in the Games, and they won? And Finn's dad was in them too?" I ask, astounded. I never knew so many people were forced to compete in these things. And they won… How could they have killed so many people?

"Yes, they were all victors. But being a victor is sometimes worse than losing. You never want to kill, and that takes away part of who you are," Father says. "You only have one wish. If you want to get home to your family, you end up doing whatever it takes to get home. If you want to protect someone in the arena, like Katniss and I, you would gladly sacrifice yourself. The Games… They change you Electra. I don't expect you to understand, in fact, I don't believe you can understand."

"We don't want you to understand," says Mother, finally showing her face, which had been buried in Father's chest. "You have to have been in the Games to understand, and we have never wanted that for you.

"So in the Games that year, we allied with Finnick and Johanna, and by the fourth day, they were only eight of us left. We were involved in a plan to kill two of the remaining competitors, and everything got confusing. Two more people died, and we were all separated and wounded, and couldn't figure out what was happening. Then the rebels came to break us out. As soon as the force field in the arena exploded, the Capitol came to retrieve people as well. The rebels saved me, Finnick, and Beetee, the male from District 3. He was our ally in the Games too. The Capitol got Johanna, Enobaria, the female from 2, and Peeta-" and with that, Mother's voice breaks off again, and she buries her face back in Father's chest.

"They were taken to District 13, which we thought didn't exist. They started a rebellion, and they were fighting against the Capitol. The Capitol tried to make me work with them, but after I warned 13 that they were going to be bombed, President Snow had me hijacked. He took all my memories, mostly of your mother, and changed them so that I would hate her. But I never hated Katniss. I was mostly scared of her, and knew that if I didn't kill her, she would do 100 times worse to me. Of course, she wouldn't.

"I was rescued from the Capitol, along with Johanna and Annie, who had been taken from 4. I saw Katniss, and tried to kill her. Then I went through therapy, and they told me District 12 had been bombed after the Quell. Katniss' mother and sister survived, but none of my family made it."

"Is that how your father died?" I ask Mother in a whisper. She looks at me and shakes her head. "He was killed in a mine accident when I was eleven. That's why I was starving when Peeta gave me the bread." She doesn't say anymore, but she doesn't go back into Father's chest either. Moved by their story, I go over and sit on Father's lap, and grab tightly onto Mother's hand. Father continues talking.

"We ended up going on a mission to the Capitol to kill Snow. Katniss, Finnick, and I were all in that group. Hardly any of the group survived, and Finnick was killed. We ended up in right in front of the President's mansion, where Katniss sister Prim was there as a medic, and she was killed.

"After that, we moved back to District 12, and it was rebuilt. Slowly, I started getting my memories back, and we grew together again. But we needed you to know about the Games Electra, so you can understand why I have my flashbacks, and why Katniss has her nightmares."

"I understand," I whisper, unable to say much more. My parents… They did this for me. Even though they didn't say it outright, I know that's why this happened. My parents have always been against violence, especially Mother, so I know that they would only have fought in a war to save people they loved. Haven't they told me that they love nothing in the world as much as me and my brothers and sister? They fought to make the world a safe place for me.

Mother wordlessly hands me the book to look through, and I cautiously open to the first page. I see a young girl, not much older than me, and she looks exactly like Asteria. The girl's name is Primrose Everdeen. Mother's sister.

Hour after hour, I go through the book and see people, wishing more and more that I could have met them. I see tributes that Mother and Father had to fight against, people that they met in the Capitol, their family members, and even kids that Uncle Haymitch mentored; 48 in total.

I also see Finn's father, Finnick. Finnick looks exactly like Finn, tall, bronze hair, sea green eyes, and all in all, extremely handsome. Yes, Finn is handsome, and I don't like admitting it, but it's kind of obvious. I think Finn is even more attractive than Finnick. Not that Finnick didn't sound like an amazing person from the books, but I don't know, I guess Finn just seems more, well, real.

As I'm done pouring over the last page in the book, I look straight into my mother's eyes. I've heard her wake up from nightmares almost every night, seen her look frantic when Father has his fits, and yet she comes through it all and is able to raise us in what I think is the best way possible.

"How do you stand it?" I ask her, my voice barely above a whisper. She answers me just as quietly.

"On bad mornings," she says, "I find it impossible to take pleasure in anything because I'm afraid it could be taken away from me. That's when I make a list. Of every good act I've seen someone do. It's like a game. Repetitive. Even a little tedious after all this time."

"But there are much worse games to play," Father finishes for her. I blink once, and a tear escapes through my eyes. I try to choke back my tears, but I can't hide them from my parents. Father pulls Mother and me into his strong arms, and we hold each other tight. Finally, I come out. I don't know if I want to ask the next question that suddenly started burning at the back of my throat, but I have to see…

"Can I watch your Games?" I ask quietly.

"No!" Mother shouts at first, but Father squeezes her and hand and a look passes between them, and Mother's stiff body unclenches. "She has a right to know," Father says.

"Fine," Mother replies reluctantly. "But we're going to be there with you, and if they get too bad for you, we're turning them off." I nod my head, their answer better than anything I could've hoped for.

A couple minutes later, I walk out of my room rubbing my eyes, and almost run straight into Finn. "Watch where you're going, Lec-ta," he laughs. Then he sees the look on my face.

"They told you about the Games," he says, and even though it wasn't a question, I nod my head anyway. Finn pulls me into his arms, and for some reason his hugs are even more comforting then Mother's and Father's.

"You knew I was getting that talk today, didn't you?" I ask when we break apart. Finn nods his head.

"Lillian and I both knew. We both got that talk the day we turned twelve too. It was, horrible. I've never seen my mother look more venerable," he shudders. "Anyway, are you going to watch the Games?" he asks, getting the subject off Aunt Annie. I nod my head. "How were they?" I ask him.

"Horrible," he answers right away. "But necessary," he hastily says, after seeing my alarmed expression. "My mother's Games were hard, because I had to see her go crazy. But my father's Games were worse. Mother says that he wasn't always like he was in the Games. He was cruel and vicious and just awful. His second Games were a little better, the Quarter Quell. And um, something happens to your dad in that one, but just keep reminding yourself that it's not real. But anyways, I don't really understand who my dad was, even after watching the Games. He was supposed to be great, but I didn't see that side of him. And I know that Mother wouldn't have loved and married a man like that, but it's the only thing I've seen of him, so it's hard to remember that he's just acting." Finn's voice has taken a hard tone. He gets this way when he's talking about his father, because he's so unsure of who Finnick was. I can't even begin to imagine what it would have been like is Father had died before I got a chance to know him. Actually, I think Mother would've killed herself if she had lost Father.

"Underneath all the lies, he was a good man," I say softly, quoting the book. Finnick had to have been good, because he helped make Finn. And Finn is the best person I know. Finn jerks his head slightly, then shrugs, an easy grin returning to his face.

"C'mon, let's go out with the others. You know, we haven't seen each other in like, two months. Let's catch up while we can," he says. I run outside with him, partially taking my mind off the Games for a few more hours.

Later that night, I sit on the couch, holding Mother's hand. Father is digging around an old box, looking for the right tape. He finds it and pops it in, and as a seal and anthem play, he sits on the couch with us, pulling me onto his lap again.

My parents… shock me. Mother looks so young, and even though you can tell that she has been through some hardships, she looks much more carefree than she is now. And Father isn't burdened down with the weight of his hijacking either.

The first part of the video is bearable. I see Father's interview, and I see that even if Mother didn't know it, she was in love with him too. Anyone could see that.

But the Games themselves are hard to watch. I see horrible deaths, and I have to close my eyes when the tracker jacker nest is dropped on the Careers and kills two of them, and I draw away again when Father fights Cato. When Mother finds Father, I expect everything to get better, and it does, after I start watching again. I had to look away from Father's wounded leg.

Finally, finally, the Games are almost over, and then my mother pulls out the poisonous berries that they said started the rebellion. And then they bring back my parents for a last set of interviews. I have one more shock to go in this video. When the interviewer asks Father how his new leg is working, me and the televised Mother shriek in unison, "New leg?"

Father sighs and pulls up his pant leg. "Yes," he says. "Because your mother saved my life by using the tourniquet, the cost was my leg. It's artificial from the knee down." I run my hand over the leg, even though I know Father can't feel anything.

"I still feel bad about that," Mother says softly, speaking for the first time since we started watching the Games. Father rolls his eyes at her and gets up to put the second tape in.

"Finn says something bad happens to you in this one," I blurt out as Father sits back down. He sighs again. "Yes, but remind yourself that it's not real, OK, Electra?" he asks. I nod my head.

These Games are worse than the last. I get worse surprises. The first is when Father announces that Mother is pregnant.

"You weren't, were you?" I ask her after I see that. She shakes her head. "No. Your father only said that so that the sponsors would try to get me out alive instead of him."

Finnick is sarcastic, and yes, a little ruthless. But I can see bits of seriousness in him, and in that seriousness, I see Finn.

I also see the part that Finn warned me about. Father runs into the force field, and his hearts stops.

I immediately burst into tears and grab Father's hand even tighter, even though I know that it's not real, that it can't be real. Father strokes my hair and whispers over and over again, "I'm right here. I'm alive, and I'm right here with you."

Surprisingly, Aunt Johanna makes me laugh, because she's exactly the same person, snarky and sarcastic. She and Mother hate each other at first, but I can see how their relationship could turn into the one they have now.

These Games are over quicker than the first, and I'm grateful. As the force field explodes, I turn to look at my parents again, who both have tears in their eyes.

"And now you know," Mother says softly, pulling me into a warm embrace. Father joins too, and for a while we just sit there. Then Mother sends me up to bed. I comply, and as I go, I hear her singing what I now know is Rue's lullaby. And I smile. Because if the world can make things right again for Mother, then the world can't be all that bad of a place.

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><p><strong>AN: And thus, concludes My Love, My Fear, My Hope, My Dream, My Life. Which really sucks, but it's necessary. Here's a little sneak peak at my next Katniss/Peeta story:**

**What if Katniss really did fall in love with Peeta during the Games? What if no one doubted that the berries were just an act of love? How will this change the rebellion, and Katniss and Peeta's whole world?**

**Intrigued? I'm still deciding on names for that one, can't choose between Just Let Me Love and Love With No Regrets… Yeah. I have to thank a number of people on here, but that's all in my extras, which will be up tomorrow. I also suggest that you look up I Just Can't Live A Lie by Carrie Underwood. Shows how I feel about Cole… And besides that, it's simply a great song. **

**~Mock**


	17. Extras

So, I decided to put together some extras on this story for you guys, just some things you might be interested in knowing! Make sure you read the epilogue, since I put these up really close together. (And I just put a poll up… You should vote)

The Kids:

Electra Mellark (ages based off the time of the epilogue): 12 years old

Luke Mellark: 10 years old

Finn Odair: 12 years old

Lillian Mason: 13 years old

Aria Mason: 10 years old

Celeste Janes: 10 years old

Hector Mellark: 7 years old

Jason Mellark: 6 years old

Asteria Mellark: 4 years old

So, in case you couldn't already tell, I completely threw the epilogue out the window for this story. As a result, I gave Katniss and Peeta more kids. Hector, Jason, and Asteria. Lillian and Aria are Johanna's adopted children, named after her cousins that were killed by the Capitol. Celeste is Tereska's and Kelton's oldest daughter. They have like, three kids, I just didn't really feel like naming the other two.

The Names: 

Tereska Serkope: I came up with this one by combining the names of characters from a web-comic. The two characters are Terezi Pyrope and Vriska Serket. Put them together, Tereska Serkope. The web-comic is Homestuck, and I advise you check it out. Just look up "homestuck trolls" on Google or something.

Electra: I was looking at names a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time ago on a Greek names website, and found this one. It means "the shining one," because she made Katniss and Peeta's world shine. I loved it, and I knew that it was perfect for Katniss and Peeta's daughter.

Luke: This has always been one of my favorite names in the world. When I was writing about him for the first time in Things Can Be Good Again, I was just kind of letting my fingers write without knowing where I was going, and I noticed that they typed the name Luke. It was too perfect, and when I looked up the name later, I found out that it means "love".

Playlist:

Here's the playlist for this and the prequel. In chronological order. Thanks to everyone who submitted a song!

Falling Inside the Back by Skillet (citruszen)

Time of Dying by Three Days Grace (citruszen)

Look at Me by Carrie Underwood (me)

Savin' Me by Nickelback (me)

Arms by Christina Perri (citruszen)

I Do by Colbie Callait (a BRILLIANT find of my sister's)

Mr. Ambulance Driver by The Flaming Lips (kid)

Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts (TheGirlOnFire12)

More Stuffs:

So, the kids grow up without any sort of horror like the Games. Luke and Asteria live in District 12, and Luke took over the bakery from his father. Katniss and Peeta are still living in 12. Annie and Johanna legally live in 4, but they have a house in 12 as well, and Tereska and Kelton legally live in 12, they also have a house in 5. Hector and Jason, who are extremely close, live in District 2, but come to visit 12 a lot.

And fine, I know you're all wanting to know what happens with Electra and Finn. They start dating when he's 14 and she's 13, and they never leave each other's sides after that. They do get married and have a family, and they have houses in 4 and 12. And Finn never, EVER, stops calling Electra Lec-ta :D

Thank You:

Big THANK YOU'S to Reni Readiris, WordVortex74, TheSoggyBug, CrunchyMunchers, Cool fanatic, and writergal24 for all the supportive reviews and I love PM'ing all of you!

girlonfire112: I love this girl so much! Thank you for taking the time to PM me one day, because we've become great friends since then. Your writing is beautiful and I love reading it. Thank you for the times you've been there to help me through issues, and know that I'll always have your back!

anabeth blackwell: I'm fortunate enough to say that this is my sister. She has been my rock through the hardest of times, and sometimes she's the only one I can always count on to be on my side, even when I'm wrong. I love her to death. Thank you so much for all the support you've given me, and for inspiring me to NEVER GIVE UP! I LOVE YOU KAILYN!

And last, but sure as hell not least, to

KelsNicole92: Thank you for helping me get my start on FanFiction. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Thank you for all the amazing reviews that I love to get. Thank you for the long string of messages we send. Thank you for helping me through the harder points in my life. Thank you for making me such an amazing character in Can Love Last. Thank you for Beta-ing most of this story. Thank you for all the laughs you've given me. Thank you for being my friend.

All in all, Kelsey's the person who inspired me to start writing FanFiction. I read her stories before I got on here myself, and I never could believe that she likes a story like mine ;D. She's stayed with me since the very beginning, and I couldn't have wished for a better way to start my writing. She's the reason there's a story in the first place. And so I thank you. You're a great person, and a great writer, so NEVER GIVE UP! And simply… Thank you.

For all the people who have stayed with Katniss and Peeta until the very end: You're in my heart. Thanks for making this story such a huge success! I wish I could name you all, but I can't. I send all of you virtual flowers, chocolates, and hugs.

Signing off on this story,

~Mock


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